


Bonds

by Fan_FictionGirl1



Category: Treasure Planet (2002)
Genre: And We All Need Some Heart-Warming One-Shots, Boys Will Be Boys, Father-Son Relationship, Found Family, Funny, Gen, Heart-Warmning, Injury, Jim Needs A Dad Okay, Jim is a teenager, Let Him Have Fun, Major Character Injury, One Shot Collection, One-Shots, Sweet, father-son bonding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:15:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 30,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27145762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fan_FictionGirl1/pseuds/Fan_FictionGirl1
Summary: A collection of one-shots over the father-son relationship between Silver and Jim over the course of the voyage!Come on, you all know we want to see more Silver-Jim bonding!
Relationships: Jim Hawkins & John Silver
Comments: 87
Kudos: 95





	1. Playful Work

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, so the timelines in these one-shots are going to differ a lot, if not most of the time! I will tell you if they are chronological to any of the one-shots I have already made. I will also tell you when it took place in the journey, to the best of my ability!
> 
> I tried to look up just how long the crew of the R.L.S Legacy were on the voyage, but I could not find anything solid, so I decided to make my own canon (everyone does it!). I imagine it took several months to travel the galaxy, so I'm going to say they were on the voyage for roughly six months! I'll make my own interoperations as I go, I guess.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy!! Please don't be afraid to tell me what you think in the comments, or give me some ideas for one-shots if you want to!
> 
> ~
> 
> (This one-shot)Takes place roughly a month and a half into the voyage! Jim and Silver are getting closer to each other but neither want to admit that to themselves.

Jim sighed, pausing from his work to wipe his sweating forehead. He set the mop against the side of the ship and leaned on the railing, taking a moment to crain his neck and crack his knuckles. Grunting, he tugged at the collar of his tan shirt in annoyance, the sweat making it cling to his skin uncomfortably. His pant legs were rolled up a little bit, and his boots had been chucked off nearly an hour ago. His dark jacket, slumped near the mast in a messy heap, had been hastily disgarded some time before that, and for good reason. The R.L.S Legacy's course was taking them through a very heated area of the Etherium, the atmosphere hot and heavy. The winds were dry and scarce, barely offering anyone any good breeze to cool off. The galaxy seemed brighter than Montressor at midday, and a glaring star close by was not helping them at all. The teenager looked up into the orange-yellowish lit skies of the Etherium and sighed again, squinting and brushing his wet hair off of his forehead. What a day to be working. 

The rest of the crew, including Dr. Doppler, Captain Amelia, and Mr. Arrow, were all down below deck, enjoying Silver's breakfast. While he couldn't imagine that it was much cooler down there, Jim couldn't help but feel a little jealous that he couldn't join them. On most days, Jim woke before the rest of the crew, to help Silver prep for the start of the day. The cyborg fed him an early breakfast and sent him off to work just before the rest of the crew was aroused. The teen had already begun mopping the deck when the others had all made their way to the kitchen for their meal. Jim could hear them conversing and laughing, as well as the clatter of dishes and the smacking of some loud eaters. He also caught Silver's voice once in a while, boisterous as always. He laughed occasionally, driving an urge to go down and see why inside Jim each time, who tried to push it away just as quickly. 

Jim was disturbed from his break, and his thoughts, when he felt something cool push against his cheek. He jumped a little, his glazed eyes snapping to alert as he turned his head quickly. He snorted, a small smile breaking over his lips, when he saw the playful pink blob laughing at him in his shrill little voice. He circled Jim's head a few times, pink bubbles following behind him. The cabin boy smirked and swatted at him a few times, despite being grateful for Morph's company. 

"What are you going up here?" he asked as the little pet landed softly on his shoulder. "You're usually with Silver this time of day." 

Morph chirped gleefully at the mention of his master's name, flying off of Jim's shoulder and circling him again a few more times. Jim laughed a little and chased him about for a bit, the thought of mopping in the back of his mind now. Morph was the cyborg's pet, but the little guy was following Jim around more and more. He liked to play with the teenager, and Jim could only imagine this was because Silver didn't 'play' with him much. Jim liked playing with the silly alien, and enjoyed having him around, a lot more than he had thought he would when he first encountered him. He laughed some more as he caught the blob in his hands, grasping him tightly.

"Gotcha!" he boasted, making a little hole in hands to peek inside. 

Morph zipped out of his hands, laughing as he bumped against Jim's nose and flew back. "Gotcha! Gotcha!" he mimicked, pointing at the teen teasingly. He flew up a little higher so Jim couldn't snatch him again, but Jim did not try. He was a little out of breath now from the sudden rush, and sweating heavily. He wiped his forehead with his wrist again, letting out a breath through his lips. Morph watched him curiously, losing altitude as he drew closer to him. He glanced over at the mop against the railing, then back at Jim. His little face became skeptical, and he quickly shifted into a little copy of Jim and the mop, pretending to wipe up the deck himself. 

Jim scoffed light-heatedly, rolling his eyes with a smile. "I know, I know. I was just taking a little break."

"Were ye now?"

The teen jumped and turned sharply at the sound of the cook's voice, watching with dismay as Silver climbed up the steps from below deck. Silver raised an eyebrow at him, frowning as he limped over, his mechanical peg leg clanking against the floor. His apron was loosely tied around his middle, messy with new stains as well as old. His black coat was slung over his mechanical shoulder, left alone because of the heat. Jim lowered his head a little and scowled, hating the fact that he had been caught. Having no jacket pockets to shove his hands in defiantly, he folded them behind his back and averted his gaze. Silver stopped right in front of the boy, his arms crossed. For a moment, the two of them stoof in silence, the cook staring Jim down. Morph's gaze shifted from his two friends several times, a little chirp leaving him. Eventually, Silver dropped his arms at his sides and looked over to the discarded mop. 

"Any perticular reason ye decided i' twas a good idea to take a break, lad?" he asked in an even tone as he took the mop in his mechanical hand.

Jim bit his lip, only glancing at Silver for a moment before looking away again. He was silent for a few seconds, trying to think of what to say. He gave a defeated sigh as he rubbed the back of his sweaty neck. "I just got hot, alright? I just needed to cool off for a second," he told him, his voice a little challenging.

Silver's frown deepened as he twisted the mop in his grasp and shifted it to his other hand. "Is that so?" he replied, looking back to Jim.

The teen didn't look back up at him, turning his head away and looking over the side of the ship. He made no reply either, not really wanting to argue about it. He had learned after a while that it was better to take Silver's lecturing than to try and argue his way out of it. He waited for said lecture to follow, but for several seconds, nothing happened. Jim was about to cast a frustated and confused the old cyborg's way, when something wet and clumpy was suddenly shoved into his face. He started, letting out a cry of surprise at the chill of the water while stumbling backwards. He quickly wiped the water from his eyes and looked up in shock and bewilderment at whatever had hit him.

"T'ere, did t'at help ya cool off any?" Silver asked mischeviously, holding the mop upwards with a devious grin. It was dripping with fresh water, the pail by Silver's organic leg. He laughed a little as he poked Jim in the chest with the mop. "Or do ye be needed some more time?"

Jim could only gawk at him, flabbergasted. This expression seemed to heavily amuse Silver, because he began laughing harder now. Morph joined in on the laughter, changing into a little mop and jabbing at Jim's shoulder several times. He changed back after a little while and zipped over to his master's side, still laughing along with him. The cyborg slapped his knee a couple times before attempting to settle himself down.

"Ye should see t'e look on yer face, Jimbo!" he chuckled, wiping his organic eye. "Ye look like yous been sweatin like a waterfall, all that mop water all over yas!"

Jim continued to stare at him, his shock only just beginning to leave him. He blinked several times, closing his mouth into a heavy frown. He glared at him for a bit while Silver continued to (unsuccessfully) hold back his laughter, but soon Jim felt the scowl leave him. He felt his chest lift a little as he watched the cook try to hide his chortles behind his fist. A small smirk played at his lips as he snorted and shook his head, pulling away the bangs that were now plastered against his face. He reached over and snatched the mop from Silver's hand and dunked it into the pail again.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, wiping the deck around his feet. "I'm all cooled off now, so I'll get back to work."

Silver let out another chuckle, clapping the boy on the shoulder. "Atta boy, Jimbo." He paused, seeming to consider something for a moment before smiling back at the cabin boy. "Well, hurry along now. Once yer finished, come down below deck and grab up something to drink, hm? Can't have ye overheatin', can we?" 

Jim felt his smile grow as he looked up at the cyborg gratefully. "Yeah," he said, all sarcasm gone from his voice now. "Sounds good."

Silver grinned and patted Jim's shoulder a couple times before turning to head back down below deck, most likely to clean up check up on the still breakfasting crew. He had only made it a few steps before Jim, grinning playfully with a mischevious gleam in his eyes, dunked the mop back into the pail quickly and flung it upwards and forwards. He slapped the cyborg in the back of the neck with the wet end of the cleaning tool, making a satisfying smacking sound. Silver jumped and tensed up almost instantly, freezing in place for a moment. Morph slowly turned and looked at the teen, then back at Silver, then back again.

Jim let out a laugh and brought the mop back down to the floor, raising an eyebrow at him while raising his eyebrow. "Hey, it's only fair," he said, tossing the mop back and forth between his hands. "You must be hot, too, after being stuck down in the stuffy kitchen," he pointed out mockingly. 

Silver's head slowly turned around, his cybernetic eye open wide as he glared at the boy. Water was now dripping from the back of his head and down his shirt. Jim couldn't read his face at all, his lips thinned and his arms still tense. It made the teen a little wary; had he angered him. He suddenly felt a little nervous, chuckling anxiously as he backed up a step. Silver turned around fully, staring down at Jim with unreadable eyes. Jim felt like he was locked in his gaze, his stomach clenching a little. 

Then, just the tiniest bit, Silver's lip curled upwards. "Oh, so t'at's how yous gonna be?" he said devilishly slow, leaning over the teenager. 

For a split second, he held his pose there, before he quickly bent over and grabbed the sides of the pail with his hands. Jim jumped, seeing it coming, but was a second to late. The Ursid threw the water all over Jim, the freezing cold liquid slamming into the boy's face and upper body like a whip. The cabin boy cried out and quickly scrambled backwards again, tripping over his own feet and falling against the deck. He shook his head, water flying from his hair and face, and sat there for a moment as he felt a shiver rush over his shoulders. Silver smirked down at him, holding the pan in midair. Morph burst into high pitched laughter before the either of them moved, zipping around his master's head in delight.

Jim stared up at Silver shortly, before he heard himself laughing. His chest bubbled with excitement and fun as he convulsed with laughter, running his hand through his wet hair. He hadn't felt something like this in some time, and it almost surprised him. Despite his clothes being watter-logged now, he felt light and breathless as he sat up staight, still snickering. He looked up at the cyborg, his eyes shining with playfullness he hadn't felt since he was a young boy. For once, he felt like he wasn't looking up at a harsh cook, or even as a suspect he should be wary of. He felt like he was seeing Silver in a new light, someone he could trust and smile with.

It felt good.

Silver chuckled at him, dropping the pail by his feet and bending over, extending his hand for Jim to take. Nothing was said between the two of them, and nothing was needed. The boy beamed as he reached up with no hesitation, taking his large hand gratefully. Silver pulled him up so swiftly that Jim almost lost his balance. He chuckled a little as he steadied himself, grabbing the mop and standing there for a moment. He smiled at it, turning in the blink of an eye and thwapping it against the cyborg's chest. He let out another laugh as he quickly turned and fled from the stunned cook.

"Oh, no ye don't!" Silver guffawed with a grin as he took off after him, snatching another bucket from its perch on the edge of the ship. 

Jim didn't necessarily know just what had come over him, but he wasn't going to stop now. He was having fun, really having fun, for the first time in months. The cook and cabin boy chased each other around the deck in a playful game of back and forth. One moment, Silver would have the upper hand, and the next, Jim had soaked him again with the mop. Neither of them cared how loud they were as the laughed and tripped over each other, spilling water all over the deck and themselves. Morph zipped back and forth between them, shifting into a mop or fish or bucket of water and doing his best to soak Jim as well. Silver kept finding the pails that the cabin boy had scattered around the ship and using them to his advantage. Jim was surprised that the cyborg was so quick on his feet, and wasn't able to snatch up any of the buckets, but he was able to hit him with the wet mop several times. The thought of work was lost to them as they soaked each other. Jim's chest felt like it was soaring, even as he was running short on breath from running around and laughing uncontrollably. 

Eventually, after what seemed like endless hours of fun, Silver caught the boy in his organic arm, tugging him against his stomach and playfully tussling his hair. "Alright, lad, I be thinkin' t'at's quite enough," he chuckled breathlessly. He was panting heavily, and despite being soaked with the cold water from the mop, Jim could see he was sweating heavily as well. He gently pushed the boy away and stretched his back a bit.

Jim was breathing heavily as well, the smile unable to be washed away from his face. He shook his head and straightened his dark, drenched hair with a small, airy laugh. "You giving up?" he teased, pushing Silver's arm.

The cook snorted with a smirk and shoved him back. "Call it a draw," he replied smartly, sighing a bit. 

Morph flew up above his master's head, chittering excitedly. Silver smiled up at his little shapeshifter, reaching up to nuzzle the little guy's head. Before he could do so, however, the pink blob changed into a bucket of water and dumped it over his head. Silver let out a noise of alarm, but his smile didn't leave him. Morph changed back and laughed, flying around playfully.

"Morphy!" Silver scolded with another laugh of his own, holding up his hand for the mimic to perch on. His little pet chirped and landed on his index finger, smiling up at him with bright and innocent eyes. The old cyborg shook his head and rested him on his shoulder, grabbing his apron and wringing out the water. 

Jim set the mop down and leaned on the mast, catching his breath. He glanced down at the steps that led below deck, wondering if any of them were suspicious of what had happened up above them. He doubted Captain Amelia or First Officer Arrow would approve of them goofing off when Jim was supposed to be swabbing the deck. He glanced over the wooden floor, now soaked with water and in need of a good scrub. Well, at least half of the job was already done.

Silver seemed to read his mind, grabbing the mop and holding it out for the cabin boy. "You'd better get to work, before the Cap'n comes up to see what all t'e bustle is about," he told him with a smile.

Jim grinned back and took it without saying anything, waving once as Silver stepped past him to head below deck. He watched the cook leave, before checking himself. 

What had even just happened? 

Jim thought about it for a moment, before quickly shoving his doubts away. Right now, he really didn't care to be pessimistic. He felt himself smiling a little as he pushed the mop across the deck, sloshing the water about as he cleaned. He shook his wet hair from his eyes again as he got back to work, feeling like the day was going to go by a lot faster.

 _Well, that was fun,_ he thought to himself.


	2. A Dream?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim is getting tired after all the hard work he's been doing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one shot takes place roughly three months into the voyage, a few weeks before Mr. Arrow's death.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it!! (Again, don't be afraid to tell me your opinion of it in the comments! ^^)

The night was clear and cool, a breeze running through the Etherium and brushing over the deck of the ship. The skies were swirling with dark blues and purples, little clouds in sight. The stars twinkled like little diamonds, smiling down at the ship in good nature. The R.L.S. Legacy was quiet as it soared through the skies slowly, their course slowed as the crew slept. The only sounds were the boards creaking as the ship rocked slightly with the winds, the engine humming smoothly, and the steps of a 15-year-old boy on the stern. 

Jim yawned once as he dragged himself down the steps and onto the deck, dragging the mop with him. A nearly empty bucket was dirty water was held in his other hand, the bottom nearly bumping the stairs. The cabin boy was slightly hunched over, his shoulders low and his eyes lazily half-open. He shivered slightly as a stronger wind blew across the ship, shrugging his shoulders to try and pull his coat up a little higher to fight against the chill seeping over his neck. Jim had been up cleaning the deck and stern for nearly two hours now, after previously checking, and re-tying if needed, the ropes to the solar sales. All day, he had been working on several different chores, and had only gotten breaks to eat and drink. 

Normally, Jim would have complained about it, or just quit entirely and go find he would rather be doing. That had become his normal back home on Montressor; if he didn't want to do something, he would simply run off, most likely to solar surf and roam about town. The troubled teen hardly took any responsibility for anything, despite how much work he was required to get done, and his mom's constant urging. Here, however, that was a different story. Not only was he on a ship where he couldn't _escape_ the work, he did not necessarily want to anymore. At first, the thought of all this work, especially under a suspicious cyborg, had made Jim nearly turn the ship right around. He was not used to doing as he was told anymore, or working that much. Yet, as tiring and troublesome as it was, each day stacked with chores upon chores, Jim did not feel the same about it anymore. In fact, it made him feel good, more often than not. He felt like he was accomplishing something, like he was doing good. His confidence in himself boosted with each chore he finished, and his self-esteem went up each time Silver gave him a pat or a compliment on how well he had done the job. 

Nowadays, Jim worked fervently and started the day off with excitement to get started. He felt happier and his bitter spirit was starting to fade away. He made no complaint when Silver gave him a job, unless he was having a bad day. He sometimes felt like a dog, eagerly waiting for the praise he would receive from the cook, or even from the captain or Dr. Doppler, after he finished something. Scrubbing the deck with brushes no longer made him frustrated and annoyed, and helping Silver in the kitchen felt more like an activity than work. Even when Jim worked late into the day, he hardly felt discouraged.

Jim smiled too himself, feeling good about all he gotten done today. He put the mop and bucket into the supply closet, shutting the door silently. He sighed in satisfaction, reaching up and rubbing his sore shoulders. They were still a little tense from earlier that morning, after pulling off all those weird little things that stuck to the bottom of the ship. He figured they would feel much better by morning and shrugged it off, despite how painful they felt at the moment. He turned and put his hands in his jacket pockets, letting his arms hang loosely as he strolled down to below deck. He sluggishly made his ways through the halls, covering his mouth as he yawned again. 

Entering the kitchen, he saw that Silver was cleaning the area, looking like he was nearly finished. He didn't notice Jim for a moment, whistling to himself with his back to the teenager as he placed some recently washed pots inside a cupboard. His little pet, Morph, noticed Jim first and chirped happily, leaving his master's side and speeding over to the cabin, rubbing up against his cheek. When Jim chuckled, reaching up to stroke the blob, Silver turned and realized that he was there. 

"Still up, Jimbo?" he asked casually, untying the apron that was wrapped around himself. 

Jim nodded, letting Morph perch on his index finger. "Yeah," he replied, stifling another yawn. "I just finished cleaning the stern," he told him, craning his neck a bit to stretch it. 

Silver smiled as he hung the apron up, taking his black coat and sliding it over his organic arm. "Good lad," he replied, taking his hat and placing it atop his head. "Ye put away yer things, aye?" He turned and opened a cupboard, taking out his pipe and a lighter. 

The teen nodded again, letting Morph fly over to his master again. "Yeah, but I didn't have the key, so I couldn't lock it this time," he informed him, putting his hands back in his pockets. 

Silver reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a keychain, smirking a little with a raised brow. Jim snorted light-heartedly and the cyborg chuckled back. "I can take care of t'at, Jimbo," he told him, putting the keys back in his pocket and reaching up to light his pipe. "I'd be gettin' to me watch in a moment." 

Jim smiled, grateful. "Thanks," he said simply. His eyes caught something behind the Ursid, turning his attention to it. He was still a big mess near the stove and the firepit where Silver usually cooked. Grime and flour stained the floors and the counter tops, and it looked like it had been there all day. Jim frowned and raised an eyebrow, confused. Silver was very good at keeping his kitchen clean, so there usually wasn't a mess like that this late in the day. The teen looked around some more, wondering why it was still a mess. 

The cook noticed Jim's discovery and mouthed a silent 'oh'. He took the pipe from his mouth for a moment. "Don't worry about t'at, Jimbo. Got a little behind today, 's all. Cap'n needed me to work on a couple ot'er dings today." 

Jim looked back over to Silver, blinking as he thought for a moment. He remembered seeing Silver that morning at breakfast, but now that he thought about it, he had scarcely seen him the rest of the day. He wondered why, but he figured that Captain Amelia had given him another job to do. Then he remembered seeing one of their longboats taking off when he had been cleaning the bottom of the ship that morning. He nearly snapped his fingers in realization. "Right, didn't you have to go dock on planet for supplies?"

Silver nodded, passing Jim to go up the steps to the deck. "Aye, took longer than expected, too," he told him, patting his shoulder as he stepped around him. He paused when he reached the stairs, one hand on the wall as he glanced back at the teen. "Don't worry about it t'night, lad. It's gettin' late, and you've been hard at work all day." He smiled and turned and limped up the steps. "Best be gettin' to bed. We'll clean it in t'e mornin," he called back as he walked out of sight.

 _He said we,_ the cabin boy thought to himself, the corners of his lips curling up a little bit. Silver usually only helped Jim out when he felt it was needed, or when he really did not have anything else to do at the moment. Jim enjoyed his company when the two of them worked together, even when Silver shouted instructions to him throughout it. He let out a contented sigh through his nose and began to follow Silver out, but paused for a moment. 

He felt a little tug in his chest and glanced back at the dirty stove and firepit. He stared at it for several seconds, debating within himself. He knew he did not need to, but why wait to get it done when he could finish it now? That way, he and Silver didn't have any extra work to do the next day. Jim smiled at the thought. Perhaps, if they finished early that day, Silver would have the chance to tell some of his stories again. Jim felt like a kid in a candy store when Silver told him tales, excited and in anticipation as the Ursid enthusiastically used hand movements and wild expressions to explain the story better. Plus, Silver would probably be proud of him for getting work done now than later anyways, right?

Making up his mind with a smirk and a shrug. He walked back into the kitchen and opened a cupboard by the floor, bending over and pulling out a couple sponges and a bucket. He put the rusting bucket into the sink and turned on the water, and while it was filling up, he bent over and pulled the soap out of the cupboard as well. He squirted it into the bucket, and suds and bubbles appeared almost instantly. Jim turned off the water and heaved the pail up with a small grunt, setting it by the stove. He rolled his sleeves up past his elbows and grabbed a sponge, dunking it into the soapy water and letting it soak for a few moments. He pulled it out, the water dripping over the counter and greasy areas, and immediately began scrubbing. 

~

Silver sighed a little as he stretched his shoulders, grunting a little. He leaned on the edge of the ship again, gazing out into the galaxy surrounding him, smiling a little to himself. It was a nice night out in the Ehterium, the stars shining and the skies clear. It was a little chilly, but in his black jacket and shirt underneath, Silver actually felt quite comfortable. His pipe was now discarded to the side, a small bit of smoke still roaming around and leaving a pleasant aroma in the air. The past hours had been slow, but the cyborg didn't mind. He enjoyed the nights like this, where he could simply be alone with his thoughts. It was calming and peaceful, with no need to worry over work or plans. 

It was nice, not having to think about his normal life. He had to admit, the voyage aboard the R.L.S Legacy, while a little out of place, was relaxing to him. Sure, sometimes it was a little hard, not barking orders to his crew. It felt a little strange not to be in charge, to not have to stay firm and threatening nearly every minute of every day. Because they were undercover, he couldn't act like the pirate he was. It was different and foreign to him, after so many years of living a life of a criminal. However, Silver wasn't about to admit that he didn't enjoy it. It had been a long time since he had been able to relax, and while things were still a bit tense because he didn't want to get caught, he felt more at ease than he had in some years. Maybe it was also because he was so close to his goal, _so close_ to the dream he had been chasing for so long. And he did not have to be cruel or angry all the time to get there. He felt like his old self, the Ursid he had been before he'd made those choices that had led him down this road. 

The old pirate was sometimes surprised that he had not seen this coming in the very beginning. Piracy was not the life he had chosen, but it had chosen him.

Silver was brought out of his thoughts when he the clatter of several footsteps crawl out onto the deck, like a huge bug slithering out of its hiding place. A large bug it was indeed, the spider like alien, Scroop, coming out to take his turn for watch. His sickening yellow eyes looked up at his captain, and as always, they were as mistrusting and sly as ever. Silver frowned and narrowed his cybernetic eye at him, standing to his full height. Even though he was shorter than Scroop, his stance made him seem like he towered over the malicious bug. Scroop quickly lowered himself a little in submission, his eyes glinting darkly. No words were said, and Silver had no desire to make any conversation with Scroop. Out of all of his crew, this one he disliked the most. Especially lately, since he seemed to disregard the idea of _undercover_ almost entirely. Silver's view of Scroop darkened more each time he got close to Jim. The six legged alien always watched the cabin boy with murderous eyes, his pinchers twitching like he was ready to strike. Silver knew that Scroop was a blood-thirsty criminal, but being around Jim seemed to make him crave violence even more. Silver sometimes wondered why he still kept him around. He was good for getting things done, and he could count on him to take care of 'problems', but the way Scroop looked at him made him uneasy. He had to be careful around this one; he knew the spider was a backstabber, and if he ever had the chance, would definitely take Silver out. 

Silver merely growled slightly as he stepped past him, keeping an eye on him as he made his way to the steps. Scroop kept eye contact for a few moments, but after a moment, he narrowed his yellow eyes and turned away. Scowling, he crawled up the shrouds and perched high on the ship for his watch. The cyborg, however, didn't break his gaze up until he was walking down below deck. Beside him, Morph whimpered a little bit, sensing his master's uneasiness. He snuggled up against Silver's cheek and offered him a little chirp and a smile. He chuckled a little bit and stroked the blob his finger, reaching the bottom of the steps and taking his hat off. He turned to hang up his coat, and was greeted with a sight he had not expected to find.

Jim was curled up on the floor beside the firepit, his head resting in his arms. In one hand, he was holding a slightly soapy sponge, and beside him, there was a bucket halfway full of greasy water. The boy's chest rose and fell slowly, his face relaxed as he slept peacefully on the floor. The stove and firepit, previously ugly to look at because of the mess, were now clean as new, the corners shining a little. It was as if the mess had never even existed. 

Silver stared down at him for a few moments, dumbfounded. He had thought Jim had gone to bed hours ago! He broke his gaze away from Jim and looked over the clean stove again, walking over and rubbing his fingers along it. Nothing smeared or even felt grimy. The cyborg rubbed his clean fingers together in surprise, looking back down at the lad. Bewilderment fluttered inside him for a moment, before he felt pride rise inside his chest. A gentle smile slowly took over his features and he quietly limped over to Jim's side. He crouched down gently took the sponge from Jim's hand. The boy didn't stir in the slightest as Silver stood and took the bucket and poured the muggy water into the sink. Morph flittered around Silver's face as he put the rest of the cleaning supplies away, glancing back at the cabin boy several times. 

After Silver finished cleaning up after him, he went back over to Jim, bending down by his side again. Something welled up inside his chest, and his smile grew a little wider. He gently slid his hand on the boy's shoulder and gently rubbed it with his thumb. Jim's face twitched a little, but other than that, he showed no signs of waking up. The cyborg chuckled a little and retreated his hand back to himself. "Yer a good lad, Jimbo," he said softly, sighing a little. He looked up, pondering over what he should do next. He could carry the boy back to the cabins, but that meant he would have to go back onto the deck. Scroop would most certainly see him, and he didn't need the spider questioning his motives more than he already did. He hummed in thought for a moment, turning his head to look over at the door that led to his own quarters. He considered his options for a moment, before shrugging with a sigh.

"Looks like we'll be havin' company with us t'night, eh, Morphy?" he said quietly, grinning slightly over at his pet. 

The mimic beamed and shrilled happily. Silver shushed him quickly, bringing a finger to his lips and raising an eyebrow firmly. Morph giggled and covered his mouth, still chipper. Silver couldn't help but chuckle a little back at him, never able to stay serious with his pet for long. He looked down at Jim, before bending over and gently sliding his hands under the boys arms. He held his breath as he gently and slowly as he could lifted the boy off the floor, holding him against his chest like a small child. He rested Jim's head on his organic shoulder, rested his cyborg hand on the boy's back. As he stood, Jim stirred a little and let out a small sigh, making Silver freeze, but thankfully he didn't wake. The cook let out a small sigh of relief and turned slowly, limping over to his door. Morph, eager to help out, zipped ahead of him and changed into a hand, taking the door handle and opening the door for them.

"Thank ye, Morphy," Silver whispered, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him with his foot. He walked over to his hammock, hanging near the farthest right corner of the simple room. He stopped just in front of it, turning his head a little to look down at Jim. The boy's sleeping face was turned away from him, but Silver found himself smiling anyway. He hesitated for a moment, before gently rubbing Jim's back a little with his cyborg hand. Jim sighed again but didn't stir, his body relaxed against Silver's arm and chest.

Morph made a little noise and rubbed against Jim's shoulder, purring a little as he did so. He was clearly fond of the boy, and after all this time spent with him, Silver had to admit to himself that he was as well. He knew he shouldn't; getting close to people was a dangerous thing to do, in his line of work. Jim had no idea that his mentor was a pirate, and it made Silver's chest hurt. He hated that he would have to betray the boy.. he had grown close to him over the past few months. Silver sighed slightly to himself as he rubbed circles on the boy's back, unable to tear his saddened gaze away from him. The cyborg felt the urge to protect Jim, not hurt him. Whenever he felt like Jim was in danger, whenever Scroop glared at him from behind his back, whenever Jim got a little to close to falling off those shrouds, whenever he upset a member of his crew, Silver wanted to step in front of him and shoo him away from danger. He wanted to keep the unknowing boy safe from the many dangers lurking around the ship. 

"What is I supposed to wit' ye, eh lad?" he mumbled silently, gently sliding Jim off of him and placing him in the hammock. He couldn't help but smirk a little as Jim nearly disappeared into it, the resting place obviously much to big for him. Jim mumbled something in his sleep and moved about a bit, unconsciously getting comfortable. Silver slid his coat off of him and rested it over the boy's body. Morph perched by Jim's face and closed his eyes, humming comfortably. 

Silver reached up and rubbed Jim's shoulder again, despite himself. He watched the boy sleep for a few minutes, drowning in his thoughts. 

_This boy.._

~

Jim woke slowly, his eyes peeling open while he moved his shoulders around for a moment. He had been dreaming that he was back at home, on Montressor. He was a three year old boy again, happily playing out in the living room of the Benbow Inn. He ran his little boat across the rug and making it soar in the air, pretending it was out exploring the Etherium. He laughed when he felt his mother's hands reach under his arms and pick him up. At least, he thought it was his mother's. He never saw the figure's face. He only remembered being held against a warm chest and being carried to bed, a gentle hand rubbing his back comfortingly. Jim felt loved and safe, and even though he still wanted to play, he wanted to stay in those arms for a while. Whoever it was had carried him to his room, gently tucking him into bed in the dark. Even though Jim couldn't see them, he felt safe around them. He felt them rubbing his shoulder softly and smiled happily, closing his eyes and thinking about the adventures in space he would love to have one day.

It had been a good dream, yet a strange one. Jim almost wished he could go back to it, to see who he had been dreaming about.

He yawned and rubbed his tired face and he tried to wake himself up. His vision was a little blurry for a moment, but he realized quickly that he wasn't in his hammock. Instantly he was fully awake, his eyes flying open as he raised his head sharply. He looked around, taking in the unfamiliar room with bewilderment and surprise. Where was he? What had happened? He rubbed his tired eyes as he tried to think back to the night before. He'd finished cleaning the stern, gone below deck to talk to Silver, and Silver had gone out on his watch. 

_What had.. oh, right, the mess._

He had decided to clean the rest of the kitchen that night, hadn't he? He remembered getting it all done.. but he didn't remember going to bed. Jim looked around again, then looked down at what was covering him. He realized with a start that it was Silver's jacket. He stared at it for a moment, taking it in his hands as he sat up straight and holding it in his lap. 

He was in Silver's room.

Jim nearly laughed, though he wasn't entirely sure why. What in the world was he doing there? He looked up again to find that the old cyborg was nowhere in sight, meaning that he was probably already making breakfast in the kitchen. He sat there for a few minutes, thinking to himself in confusion and shock. 

_I must have fallen asleep after I was done.. did Silver carry me here?_

Jim quickly slid out of the hammock, hurrying over to the door and opening it quickly. He stopped in the kitchen, spying Silver over by the stove almost immediately. Silver noticed him as well, his gaze turning over to the boy. The cyborg perked up a little as he cut a few more purps with his blade. 

"Mornin', Jimbo!" he greeted cheerfully, looking back to his work. "Sleep well?"

Jim opened and closed his mouth for a moment, unsure of what to say. He swallowed and walked over to the hanger, placing Silver's jacket on it, right next to his hat. "Yeah.. um, how did..? I mean, I.. I was.."

"Can't imagine ye were all t'at comfortable on t'e floor," Silver said, interrupting Jim's fumbled blabbering. "T'ought you would sleep better in a hammock." He paused for a moment, staring down at the purps with an unreadable expression. Eventually, he smiled and turned to look back at Jim. "Now, you'd better get to work, lad. Got plenty to do t'day, eh?"

Jim found himself smiling, happiness buzzing over his body. 

"Yes, sir!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really trying with Silver's accent over here guys lol


	3. Tall Tales

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim never got to hear tall tales as a child from his own father, but luckily Silver is there to fill that void!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place a couple weeks after Mr. Arrow's death! Roughly four and a half months into the voyage.

The night was crisp and warm, a soothing breeze sliding over the shrouds and the deck, the sails flapping slightly. It was late and most everyone was asleep in their cabins now. Even the captain had shut the door to her quarters some time ago. The creaking of the ship and the snores of the crew was the only thing Jim heard. He sat very high in the shrouds, near the sails themselves. His elbows rested on his knees, his chin in his hand as he stared out at the stars in silence. His bangs swept from side to side every so often in the light wind, but he didn't bother to brush them away. His eyes looked a little glazed as he sat there quietly, his shoulder's hunched and his lips set firmly. While his body was still and calm, his mind was buzzing with thoughts. 

They were not that far from Treasure Planet, if the map was correct, and his mind was alight with the possibilities. What could he do with all of that treasure? He knew rebuilding the Inn was still a top priority; despite how distant he was with his mom nowadays, he couldn't live with himself if he did not make this up to her. He wanted to make her proud, and deep down, he wanted to make himself proud, too. He wanted to become someone that was respected, not looked down on. The troubled teenager had tried to turn a corner so many times, his mother's urging and his own desire within himself making him push forward. Yet every time he thought he was going to make it, every time he managed to really make a difference, he screwed it up again. He was just a stupid kid, no matter how much he tried to change. 

But maybe, just maybe, with this treaure, he could reach that goal. With that much money, he wouldn't need to go through all the hard steps anyway! The loot of a thousand words felt like his ticket to a good life, to making his mother proud, to making him a respectable man. Jim was depending on it, perhaps a little too heavily, but he didn't care. 

That treasure was going to change everything.

Thinking about Flint's trove brought back childhood memories, back when he was just a little boy who loved everything about the Etherium and spacers. It brought a small smile to Jim's face, remembering back to the days when he would zoom about the Inn, brandishing a handmade pirate or navy costume and a wooden sword. He would pretend to be a spacer in the deepest and most wonderous places in the Etherium, making new discoveries and finding the best of treasures. He remembered the days when he rescued his mother from an invisable enemy, or the days when he pretended to be a cabin boy working for her, mostly when he did his chores. He remembered all those nights where he stayed up late, reading stories of spacers and their adventures. "One day I'll be one of the greatest spacers alive!" he had said, and he had believed it now. 

Jim chuckled darkly, leaning back into the shrouds. _If only my younger self could see me now,_ he thought to himself, closing his eyes and frowning a little deeper. 

Thinking about his childhood nights, where he sometimes fell asleep with a book in his hands, also brought back memories he did not really wish to think back on. Yet he couldn't help but bitterly recall all those nights where he anxiously waited in his bed for a half-baked promise to be filled. He remembered his giddy little self bouncing in bed, book in his arms. Little Jim would wait night after night sometimes for his father to come back to his room and read to him. He had begged his father to tell him tales, and sometimes his dad would say to wait until bed. So he did. And then he would wait in bed, for hours, until his exhausted mother came back to the room to tell him that his father was already sleeping or had left. 

Jim sighed, kicking his legs a little in the shrouds. Who cared about some bedtime stories, anyway? He had been able to entertain himself well enough as a kid. He had had to learn how to enjoy the stories by himself, or with his mother, when she was available. He hated how he still felt so bitter about that simple thing. Jim was a teenager now!

The cabin boy's thoughts were disturbed when he heard heavy, uneven steps from under him. He opened his eyes quickly and looked down to see Silver approaching the base of the shrouds. He wasn't looking up, his pipe in his organic hand as he blew the smoke from his mouth. The cyborg leaned on the edge of the ship, looking out into the Etherium calmly. Jim wondered if Silver had even noticed him, and felt himself hoping that he hadn't. Silver would most undoubtedly ask what he was still doing up, and Jim did not really want to have to tell him that he couldn't sleep again. Whenever he admitted this, the old spacer would give him a worried look and try to talk to him about it. Jim really appreciated that, having never had someone give him comfort like that. Tonight, however, he did not want to be bothered about it.

For several minutes, there was nothing. Jim relaxed again, realizing that Silver had not noticed him. He leaned his head back on the shrouds again, looking up at the stars. He found himself wondering how the cyborg had not seen him before; Silver had to have been out on his watch for the past couple hours. The teen smirked to himself, glad he had found a hiding spot where the cook would not find him for the time being.

"Ain't ye supposed teh be in bed right about now, lad?" said the spacer below him in a calm voice. He didn't look up, merely twisted the pipe in his grip slightly. 

Jim groaned, though he was not necessarily surprised that he had been discovered. If he had to guess, he would bet that Silver had seen him up there some time ago, but had not said anything for a while. He held onto the rope and leaned down a little, looking down at his mentor. He said nothing for a moment, but kept a hard frown, even though Silver was not looking up at him. After a minute of silence, Jim gave a little defeated sigh and began to climb down, hopping down onto the ship's edge and shoving his hands in his pockets.

Silver gave him a teasing smile, gesturing up at the shrouds with his cyborg hand. "Ain't t'at a wee bit high to be climbin', lad?" he asked, putting his pipe in his mouth for a moment and breathing in.

Jim shrugged, a small smile of his own playing his lips. "I dunno. Is it?" he replied playfully.

His friend simply chuckled in reply, shaking his head in mock disappointment. Jim knew that Silver was not really upset with him for being up so high, and his light-hearted laugh let the teen now that he was in a good mood. As Silver blew out another plume of smoke, Jim plopped down onto the rim, his legs dangling over the edge as he faced the open galaxy. The two of them said nothing for a few moments, both staring out into the Etherium while the ship rocked softly in the wind. Jim closed his eyes and leaned his head back for a moment, taking in a breath through his nose. The fragrance of Silver's pipe almost overpowered his nose, but the scent surprisingly was not a bad one. In fact, it was a little soothing, in its own way. It reminded him of rosemary and red wine, two things his mother had used to cook often back at home. It made his nose tingle and his eyes water if he breathed in too deeply, but it comforted him and he felt his shoulders relaxing as he thought back to the nights back at the inn, before everything had fallen apart. 

"So, what are yeh doin' up at this hour, Jimbo?" came the cyborg's voice, jostling Jim out of his dazed thoughts.

The cabin boy blinked, realizing he had been staring at the pipe's smoke float off into space distractedly. He turned his gaze away and looked at Silver. The cook hadn't turned his head to look at the boy, but continued to stare off at the stars. Jim forced an apologetic smirk and shrugged his shoulders. "Not tired, I guess," he replied simply, taking one hand out of it's jacket pocket and resting his chin in his palm, following Silver's gaze. 

"I see," Silver replied with a growing grin, his eyes finally glancing in his direction. "And what were yeh doin up t'ere?" He pulled the pipe from his mouth with his organic hand and held it out, letting the smoke sail around them aimlessly. 

Jim looked down at his lip, shrugging again. "Nothing special, really," he mumbled. He paused, wondering if he should tell Silver what was really on his mind. He found himself longing to spill everything to him. Over the months they had spent together, Silver had become a mentor to him, someone he trusted and _wanted_ to trust with his secrets, and his past. He bobbed his leg a little in concentration as he pondered, biting his lip. He released a sigh and leaned his head back again. "I was thinking about home, to be honest," he admitted quietly, closing his eyes. His mother's face flashed in his mind, making him smile ruefully. 

Silver turned his head to look at the teen, an soft expression resting over his features. Out of the corner of his eye, Jim could not tell if it was out of pity, or out of kindness. "Ah, well," he said after a moment, leaning in a little closer to Jim. "It's yer first time out at sail, eh? Not uncommon to feel a little bit homesick." He raised an eyebrow in a teasing way and smiled at him.

Jim snorted and grinned back, pushing the cyborg's shoulder. "Yeah, yeah, no need to rub it in," he jested. 

"Now, lad, don't be getting upset over t'at! T'was only tryin to help," Silver shot back, a bit of playfulness in his voice as he retreated back a bit from Jim's shove. "Nottin to be ashamed of. Even dis ol' spacer thought much of home on me first time sailing! 'Specially when things turned out a bit sour." He bumped the teen with his elbow.

Jim could tell that the Ursid was trying to reel him into one of his stories and smiled wider. Silver's stories were never boring, and Jim couldn't help but be entranced whenever he told one. His use of his cyborg arm for visual affects and his voice, rising and falling with the tone of each scene, certainly made it much more entertaining. At first, the teen would begrudgingly listen from afar as Silver told them around the table, but nowadays, he had noticed that the cook often saved the best stories for just the two of them. He often told them while they were working, to pass the time and make things more interesting. Jim would find himself laughing when Silver laughed, or getting serious when the story grew dire, or getting excited when the action scenes suspended on. Often, work was forgotten, and it was just the two of them, just a story-teller and excited boy who couldn't get enough. It made him feel like a child again, and he loved them. 

He knew that the story would come eventually, so Jim decided to tease Silver a little bit. He cocked an eyebrow and rolled his eyes at Silver, crossing his arms in an unimpressed matter. "Gonna tell me another one of your tall tales?" he jested with a smirk. "What, did a giant space beast entangle the ship in its monstrous tentacles?" He wiggled his fingers and lowered his voice in a mock suspenseful way. "Oh, no, I bet you landed on a planet inhabited by these weird plants that sucked the blood out of everything they caught!" He quickly and loudly clasped his hands together, just inches in front of Silver's face for special effect.

The cyborg started a little bit, retreating a step while staring at the teen's intertwined hands. Blinking away his shock, his let out a jovial laugh, pushing the boy's hands away from his face. "Hey now, Jimbo, don't go assuming things!" He waggled a robotic finger in front of the teen, giving him a toothy grin. "All me stories be true, including this one!"

Jim rolled his eyes again and uncrossed his arms, his hands resting on either side of him. "Yeah, right," he chuckled, but didn't push the matter any further. Instead, he pulled his legs up and crossed them, turning his body so he was now facing the Ursid. He clasped his fingers together and rested his chin on them, waiting with twinkling eyes as he waited for the tale to ensue. 

Silver smirked, satisfied, before pushing himself off the rim and standing straight. "I started me sailin' life not much unlike you did, Jimbo." He poked Jim's chest with an organic finger before pointing to himself. "I was a lowly cabin boy, though can't say I twas quite as young ye. Didn't even cook too much den, much as I wanted to." He chuckled a little, his organic eye shining at the memory. "T'e ship wasn't a biggun, and t'e crew was a smaller size too, far as crews go." He made a gesture with his hands as he spoke about the small boat and crew. 

Jim watched and listened as the story continued, his back arched as he leaned forward with interest. He felt like a little kid, a child who didn't judge the story by the content because the creator was someone they looked up to. The tale was not an extravagant one, unlike many of Silver's other stories, but he was not able to bring himself to like it any less. So far, there had been no daring feats or adventures. Silver simply spoke of and demonstrated the work that Jim was often forced to do now, but with the Ursid's own little twist. Yet that was what made it interesting, in the teen's mind. The cyborg's iteration of the chores, back when he did them, in his own way, was never dull to Jim, even though he often did those same things every day. He could feel Silver's past attitude and feelings towards the work like they were his own, and he was enthralled with the way that Silver pretended to clean with imaginary appliances. He heard himself chuckle when Silver admitted to being a bit of a playful youngster, his chest fluttering with glee as he gave out every detail of the small practical jokes Silver had played, or his mocking words to the captain or crewmate. While there was no action to the story yet, he felt suspense when Silver told him how he once got left on the dock during a pit stop, waiting for a two full days before the ship came back around to get him.

"What, did they actually forget you?" Jim found himself asking, frowning a little as he tilted his head.

"Heh, would've loved to learn that for meself, lad," he said with a wink. "Though I won't say I wasn't a little bitter over the fact they had up and left wit'out me. T'ey never said much about why I wasn't brought along, but not'ing really needed to be said." He shrugged once with a light-hearted smile. 

Jim chuckled a little through his nose. "Were you afraid?" he blurted after a moment's hesitation. _I sound like a kid!_ he thought regretfully, quickly trying to make up for his blunder. "I mean.. um, weren't you a little nervous? You know, being all by yourself on a strange world and everything?" He smiled awkwardly, knowing he had made it sound worse.

The cyborg, however, did not seem upset by this notion at all. Rather, he appeared to be rather amused by it. He laughed boisterously and stepped to Jim's side, throwing his organic arm over the teen's shoulder. "Maybe a bit, but t'at was nothing compared to me fallin overboard!" he exclaimed.

"You _what?!_

His face twisted in fear, the memory of when Silver had nearly fallen off the bowsprit flashing in his mind. It had only been a few weeks ago, and the image was still fresh in his mind. He swallowed quietly and rubbed his hands together, remembering the burning feeling of the rope as he had snatched it, just before it had zipped away with the cyborg.

Silver raised his eyebrows with a knowing look. Knowing he had the boy's utmost attention, he chuckled a little at his wide eyes and gaping mouth, the anxious and anticipation growing in Jim's face. "Aye, what a day that was," he said, looking off at the mast as he recalled the memory. He pointed down with this cyborg hand, his organic arm still hanging over Jim's shoulder. "No one had checked teh ship's engine in a few days, the slackers," he began to explain, the grin never leaving his face. "One of t'e main thrusters' engines had a malfunction. I'm no mechanic meself, but even I know as much that it could have been a much less dangerous situation if someone had decided to actually do their job." The last of his words turned a little sour as he frowned a little, but he shrugged it off a moment later. He pulled his arm back and placed his hand on Jim's back, turning him a little as he pointed up at where the boy had been sitting before, maybe higher. "I twas taking a look up there, mindin' me own business. I'd finished all me work and wanted to enjoy the rest of t'e day without bein much disturbed." He stepped back, his hand sliding off of Jim's back.

"What happened?" Jim's voice sounded breathless, but he didn't care. He in too deep to notice his wide eyes and the way he was leaning forward anxiously, practically bouncing where he sat. Silver had taken a moment to pause, most likely on purpose, and it had left Jim on the edge of his seat. He did not want to waste a moment on silence; he was much too interested in what happened next.

Silver had noticed this, and for a moment, his gaze grew soft. Jim's nature had changed a lot these past few months. Looking at him now, his blue eyes twinkling in wonder and anticipation, his hands twitching excitedly while he leaned forward in interest, Silver could have hardly guess that this was the same bitter, moody teenager he had first met down in the galley. He held back a gentle chuckle and instead turned back to his story. Jim shot up when the cyborg stepped over to the edge and leaned over it a little. Silver smiled as Jim leaned a little bit as well, curiously trying to follow Silver's gaze. He was so entranced in the story, he knew that whatever this was had to be part of it.

Silver pointed down to the rear side of the ship, close to the ship's thruster, but not quite. "Right about t'ere was where the malfunctionin' thruster was," he explained, making a gesture to where he estimated it had been on the much smaller ship. "I could see it from where me was hangin, and saw teh smoke rising before anyone else did." He waved his hand like he was trying to catch someone's attention, making a demonstration. "Did me best to call the cap'n, but by t'en, it 'twas too late. The broken t'ing went up in flames, blowin up like a grenade." He stood up straight and shot his arms outward, like a big explosion.

Jim let out a small gasp, glancing down at the thruster for the R.L.S. Legacy. He gulped nervously, imagining how terrifying it would be if something similar happened to them. He could almost feel the jolt of the crash it would cause, shuddering to himself as he looked back up to Silver anxiously. Silver chuckled a little at him, before pointing back up to the shrouds again with his thumb.

"Lost me balance quick and took a fall," he told him, his hand sliding down as he indicated where he had fallen. Jim followed his hand, his lips parted and his hands clenched. "Would have fallen right out 'f the gravitational field if I didn't loose some ropes up in me fall!" he said in a harsh whisper, grinning from ear to ear and Jim's expression. He pretended to quickly grab hold of something with his hands, most likely the rope he was referring to. "Grabbed it wit'out much thinking, jus' pure instinct."

"Woah," was all Jim could rattle from his mouth, staring at Silver with wonder in his eyes. He felt a little awed, that the Ursid had managed to catch himself.

"Indeed," Silver laughed, letting go of the imaginary rope. He tipped over the rim again, pointing downward. "Hung right about t'ere for a little while. Was in such shock I didn't t'ink to call for help for some time!" He laughed, shaking his head as if disappointed in his younger self. "Teh rest of teh crew was so busy repairin it quick as dey could, they didn't notice I was missin!"

Jim blinked, staring at him as he out at the past. "So you just.. hung there? Below ship? Without calling anyone?"

The cyborg chuckled again, looking a little sheepish as he rubbed his neck with his organic hand. "Never wanted to get back to me own life more t'an in t'at moment," he admitted. "But eventually I realized t'ey didn't know I was hangin' below 'em for dear life, so I called up to t'em. T'ey pulled me back up quick enough." He chuckled and clapped Jim in the back. "Had to be one of t'e most terrifying moments of me life, Jimbo."

Jim simply stared up at him for a few seconds, blinking and saying nothing. It took him a moment to realize that the story had ended, and he looked away. His eyes fell to the bottom of the ship, imagining what it would be like to hang over the edge with nothing more to hold onto than a rope. He felt a fearful sensation through his body and shuddered, looking back up at Silver. "I can imagine," he said quietly.

The cook watched Jim for a moment, noting his shudder and fearful glance below the ship. He patted the boy's shoulder and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Jimbo, I don't see any chance of ya falling from up t'ere," he said, looking up at the shrouds. "T'is ship's one of t'e finest I've ever sailed on, and the crew knows t'eir jobs. No thruster's gonna throw you overboard," he told him, teasingly bumping him with a smirk. 

Jim blinked again, before a silly smile of his own reached his lips. He bumped Silver right back with this shoulder, only for the cyborg to ruffle his hair with a laugh. Jim snickered and pretended to protest as he tried to push his hand back. The two playfully laughed and rough-housed back and forth at each other shortly, before setting down with little chuckles and calming sighs. Silver pulled his pipe out again and relit it, placing it between his lips. His hand was around Jim's shoulder, pulling the boy closer to him. The teen had not even noticed until then, and he was a little taken back, but not upset. Slowly, a smile found him and he leaned on his mentor's shoulder, allowing himself to relax as he stared out into the stars. A shushed calm had washed over them, comforting and quiet.

After a short while of silence, Jim quietly said aloud, "Besides, if I ever fell, you'd catch me, wouldn't you?"

He hadn't really meant to say it aloud, nor had thought much of it before he had. It took him a few moments to even realize that he _had_ , and he started a little at himself. Jim didn't dare say anything else, or even glance at Silver out of embarrasment. He felt his cheeks burn red and mentally slapped himself. What had brought him to say a sappy thing like that?!

"I wouldn't let yeh fall, Jimbo," Silver suddenly replied, his voice soft. Jim finally turned his head to see Silver looking at him with serious eyes, his yellow optic focusing on Jim. He hugged the teen a little closer to himself with his organic arm, his eyebrows furrowing a little. "Believe t'at. I'd catch ya."

The cabin boy stared at him for a moment, surprised. A warm feeling spread over his chest, and for some reason, tears stung the edges of his eyes. Normally, he would be absolutlely horrified with himself for crying in front of anyone else, but it was different with Silver. He didn't feel any guilt or shame shedding tears around Silver, not after the first time. The corners of his lips tugged upwards and he nodded slightly, resting his head on the cyborg's shoulder. After a moment's hesitation, he slowly reached up and hugged Silver, burying his face into his shoulder. It was only a moment before he felt Silver return the hug, his arms engulfing the boy's body. No words were exchanged, but at the time, none were needed. Silver held onto the teen for a little longer, allowing himself to have this. He allowed himself to gather up the child in his arms, to know that this boy thought much of him, and he thought much of Jim. Jim tightened his grip on the old cook, letting himself feel the way he did. As much as he felt like he shouldn't, he accepted that, to him, Silver had taken place of the father that had left a dark hole within him.

After a few minutes, Silver slid back a little, his organic arm still holding Jim close. He smiled down at him, and while he looked a little awkward, it was genuine. The teen returned it with one of his own, one that softly lit up his features and made Silver's heart swell with pride. He reached up and ruffled his hair again with a chuckle, and Jim laughed again, but made no move to stop him. The two of them remained there for a little longer, Jim leaning into his father figure's arms while Silver sucked on his pipe and stared out at the Etherium with a small, consistent smile. 

Eventually, Jim let out a small yawn, reaching up and rubbing his eyes tiredly. Silver noticed and glanced down at him, his gaze gentle as he chuckled. "Sounds like yer tired now, eh?" He did not wait for Jim's reply, standing up straight and pulling the teen off of the rim. "You best be off to bed, Jimbo. Me watch is almost over, anyways, so I'll be headin' off for some shut-eye soon, too." He rubbed the boy's shoulder before gently pushing him towards the cabins.

Jim stumbled a little when he was pushed, but caught his footing quickly and obeyed, walking over to the cabins so he could sleep. He paused for a moment, glancing back at the cyborg and smiling. "Night, Silver," he called quietly, putting his hands in his jacket pockets. 

Silver smiled and nodded, turning back to the rim and resting his elbows on it. "Night, Jimbo," he muttered.

Jim didn't know whether Silver had meant for him to hear that or not, but he smiled a little more nonetheless, his chest warm as he headed off to bed. 

_Good story,_ he thought tiredly.


	4. Protective Pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During a pit stop for repairs, Silver and Jim learn the dangers of separation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one-shot actually takes place a few days after my last one (Tall Tales), so it's still roughly four and a half months into the voyage!
> 
> Hope you enjoy!! This will be the first section of a two-parter!

Jim peered over the end of the longboat, his hands gripping the rim as his eyes searched the surface below them, slowly getting closer and closer. He was surprised with how busy it was, several more boats and smaller ships loading almost every dock. Hundreds of aliens were scattered across the piers and the ground, speaking loudly in many different tones. Jim reached up and brushed some of his bangs out of his eyes as he swept his gaze over to the town that was not very far off. The bustling looked even worse in that direction, the streets full of crowds. He could not make out any distinct features from this distance, even as the longboat drew closer to the dock, but the general vibe the place was giving off was a rather dark one. The teen frowned, wondering if he should be concerned.

"Jimbo!" 

He jumped a little when he heard Silver's voice, raising his head quickly and looking over to the cyborg. Silver glancing over the edge as well, the best he could while steering the ship. He pulled up on the controls and slowed the boat even more, looking up at the cabin boy. "Better get t'ose ropes ready, lad," he told him, turning his attention back to his steering. "Soon as we come to a stop, I want yeh to jump out and tie the boat down."

Jim nodded, quickly getting to his feet and picking up the pile of rope in the side of the boat. He kept his eye on the dock as Silver drew the longboat to a stop. As soon as he felt it cease moving, he slung the rope over his shoulder and jumped over the edge. His feet landed on the creaking wood with a small thud, a bit a rattling sensation sliding up his legs. The teen immediately sprung into action, tying the boat down. He checked and double checked his knot, though he was mostly confident that the knot would hold. Silver had taught him this one, much like most of the knots he knew, but the boy had been practicing this one quite a bit. He smiled at his handiwork and stood up straight, hands on his sides as he leaned back to look up at the longboat.

"Longboat secured!" he called upwards to Silver. 

"Atta boy!" he heard the cyborg shout back, and not a moment later, the thrusters for the longboat shut off. The main engine remained on, keeping the boat afloat beside the dock. It lowered closer to the small pier, allowing Silver to jump down without too much trouble. He pushed himself to his full height and looked over at the knot Jim had tied, inspecting it. His face was thoughtful for a moment, before he turned and gave Jim and approving grin. 

The teen returned it gratefully, letting his arms drop to his sides in a relaxed way. He joined the old cook's side as he started walking towards the town. Silver took out a paper from his coat pocket, unfolding it and looking over it as they walked. Jim tried to read it as well, but couldn't quite catch it, due to Silver's hulking cyborg shoulder obstructing his view. The two of them made it out of the docks, having to push past a few arguing aliens and a flurry of kids. When the reached the edge of the town, they were immediately bombarded with a crowd, blocking their path and stepping on their toes.

Jim slid a little closer to the large Ursid when someone bumped him with an elbow, scowling in frustration. "What are we doing down here on our own, anyway? Shouldn't the others all be down here as well?" he asked in annoyance, upset that the two of them had been forced to do this task.

"The ot'ers will be a'comin, soon," Silver replied evenly, though he did not look any more enthusiastic about this than Jim did. "Cap'n sent us ahead to get the repair crews t'ere when they dock. She wants teh leave as soon as possible." He grunted as he pushed through a few slug like aliens, ignoring their harsh stares as he did so. 

Jim was not so lucky, and got a little behind as the slugs tried to regroup. He rushed to catch up to the cyborg, slipping through the aliens as quickly as he could. "Ugh, the sooner we leave this place, the better," he complained, wiping slime he had just acquired off of his shoulder. 

His mentor let out a huff of agreement, but did not say anything else as he glanced down at the paper again. He paused mid-step, muttering to himself as he looked around. Jim took the opportunity and leaned in to get a better look at what Silver was so intensely reading. A little spark of realization hit him when he saw it was a map, one that had the whole town on display. The cyborg's eyes went from the map to the road ahead a few more times, before his face lit up a little and he grinned a little. He reached back and placed a hand on Jim's shoulder, pushing him along.

"T'is way, we're not t'at far from the shop," he explained, keeping his cyborg hand on the teen's shoulder as they went.

Silver kept Jim ahead of him as they walked, simply steering him with a few words or a gentle push through the streets. Jim was a little confused at first, and a little annoyed as well, since he had to push through a lot of aliens. Most of them did not like to be pushed either, giving him glares or a few angry words. The cabin boy was usually good at dealing with harsh attitudes with his own sarcastic and 'over it' flare, but even this was too much for him. He grew more and more uncomfortable as they stumbled past aliens to their left and right. He grew more rigid each time he someone growled at him or shot daggers from their eyes; most of these aliens looked like straight-up criminals, and it made him nervous. The teen let out a little yelp of pain when someone stepped on his foot a little _too_ hard, making him stop in his tracks.

Silver bumped into him, not have expecting him to stop. His grip on Jim's shoulder tightened a little and he scowled. Jim flinched, a little worried he had made Silver angry at him, but the thought was thrown out when the cyborg glared in the direction of the alien to had stomped on his foot. He muttered something under his breath angrily, before turning back to the boy. His expression softened a little and he looked down at his foot, which Jim had lifted and was now balancing on one leg as he fondled his inured toes.

"Yeh alright, lad?" he asked, worry edging into his voice. He let Jim lean on him for balance as he rubbed his foot in pain.

Jim grimaced, hissing through his teeth for a second as he let his foot back onto the ground. He tested putting pressure on it, pain immediately flaring up and making him suck in a sharp breath. He closed his eyes for a moment and let himself lean on his foot a little, not too heavily, to see if he could walk on it. It still hurt, but he was willing to push through it. He opened his eyes and looked up at the cook, forcing a small smile. "Yeah, I'll be okay," he assured him, returning his weight to his own legs instead of leaning on Silver's arm.

The other seemed unconvinced, raising an eyebrow skeptically, but he did not push the matter. "If ye say so," he replied, lowering his voice a little. He paused for a moment, thinking for a moment, looking a little guilty. Jim was about to ask him if something was wrong when he looked up again. "Sorry for pushin' ya on ahead, Jimbo," he said quickly, beginning to walk again. This time, he kept Jim closer to his side, keeping his cyborg arm around his shoulders as he pushed through the aliens himself.

"What?" was all Jim could muster, a little confused by what he meant. 

Silver glanced down at him for a moment, smiling ruefully. "I wanted te keep yeh at a place where I could see ya," he told him. His eyes twinkled a little bit as he gave him more of a playful look. "Yer so small, I t'ought I'd lose sight of yeh!" he teased, giving him a wink. "Didn't consider ya getting trampled on, t'oh." 

The teen said nothing for a moment, a little surprised by the apology, as well as the reason why he had been pushed ahead. His negative outlook had made him think that Silver was just being cruel or messing with him, or even using Jim as a body shield for himself. He looked away quickly and feigned indifference, shrugging. "It's fine," he said simply. After a moment, he looked back up and gave him a mocking angry look. "And I'm perfectly capable of handling myself in a crowd! I would have been fine."

Silver chuckled light-heartedly, but kept his cyborg arm around Jim's shoulders to keep him close by. "Sure you would 'ave been." He turned another corner before coming to a stop, looking up at the shop in front of them. He read the sign before grinning in satisfaction. "Ah, here we are."

The building was nothing special from the outside. A simple sign let them know it was a repair shop, and a small display window showed a few interesting parts, a few that Jim could identify himself. The color was a meek brown, the roof angled more to the right in a strange stylistic choice. No smoke rose from the chimney above them, but they could smell the burning coals from outside the door. Jim wondered if they did more than just sell parts in there. He looked up at Silver, a little confused.

"Isn't this just a shop?" he asked skeptically, pointing at the display window.

"It may look t'at way from the outside, but the cap'n said t'at this was where we would find ourselves a repair crew," Silver answered with a small shrug of his shoulders. "It's ta best we got right now, lad. There wasn't another planet close by, and we need repairs after that much damage from te supernova. We're lucky to have made it t'is far, considerin!"

Jim gave a quick glance around the area, already feeling a little perturbed by the bystanders. "Yeah, lucky for us," he said dryly, crossing his arms. He leaned back on the wall, giving his injured foot a rest. "You go on ahead. I'll wait outside."

Silver gave him a look. "Are yeh sure, lad?" he asked after a moment's hesitation.

The cabin boy waved his hand dismissively, not looking in his direction. "Yeah, it's cool. Not like there's much I could do in there, anyway," he told him nonchalantly. 

Silver frowned, his lips thinned for a moment, but said nothing. He nodded once and turned away, entering the shop quietly. Jim watched him go out of the corner of his eye, letting out a relieved breath when the door closed. He slid down the wall with a groan, reaching down and gently rubbing his throbbing foot. He hissed in pain again and rubbed circles on the heavily bruised area with his thumb. He was tempted to take his boot off to look at it and see how bad it was, but decided it would be better to wait until he got back to the Legacy. He glanced up at the door, feeling a little glad Silver was not out here to see him like this. The boy didn't want to seem like a weakling, acting like a this over something as simple as toe-stepping. He sighed and leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes and letting himself relax a little.

Several minutes past, and while the pain slowly began to settle after time, Jim's mind would not. There were so many strange and loud sounds coming from all around him that even with his eyes closed, he was on edge. While his legs and lower body were relaxed, he could feel his shoulders tense every time someone yelled significantly louder than the rest, or when he heard footsteps right next to him. He tried to keep calm and wait it out, knowing Silver would not have to be in there too long to finish. 

However, several pairs of footsteps right in front of him made him more anxious then before. He could hear them coming his way, despite the other loud noises that attempted to distract him. He felt his face twitch in an uncomfortable scowl, but he did not open his eyes yet. The teen prayed that if he ignored them, they would leave him be, if they were even intending to bother him at all. However, that hope was dashed quickly when he heard them stop right in front of him. He could hear their sneers and dark chuckles, and he could smell them, too. They smelled like putrid milk and old alcohol, and it made him want to gag. 

"Taking a break, boyo?" came a slithering voice from above him. He heard the others cackle quietly. 

Jim sighed, partially in annoyance, partially in worry, and opened his eyes lazily. He looked up at the group with half-lidded eyes, playing it off as if he was merely annoyed by their presence instead of threatened. He frowned heavily at the four lizard-like aliens standing above him, their jaws thickly-set, while their bodies where more lean and slithery like a snake's. The one in the front, obviously the leader, was leaner than the others, but held an air of authority. He had a scar over his snout that extended down his neck and over his shoulder. His yellow eyes glinted in a way that made Jim shudder. Two others were a bit on the smaller side, but they looked like the image of criminal stereotypes. Slippery and cackling, they wore huge teethy grins on their faces and flexed their claws. The last one, in the back of the group, was the largest of the bunch, standing almost two heads taller than the leader. His wide jaw was closed in a frown as he stared down at the boy coldly, his arms crossed. The only movement he made was the twitchy end of his tail. 

Jim scoffed at them and placed his hands behind his head. "If you're trying to get some easy cash, I'm afraid I don't have any on me," he said bluntly, glaring at them.

The leader growled, but didn't lose his sneer. He reached down towards his hip, where a whip was neatly hooked to his belt. "You assume to quickly," he hissed, his claws brushing the leather. "We aren't here to steal from you."

The teen felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He tensed up, ready to bolt if necessary. "Oh yeah? Then what do you want?" he asked, his voice lowered as he placed his hands on the ground, prepared to push him up at a moment's notice.

One of the cackling twins grinned from ear to ear, showing every bit of his sharp, uneven teeth. "We're recruitin," he laughed, stepping forward threateningly.

Jim jumped a little, but when they didn't advance any further, he slowed down. "What if I'm not interested?" he asked hesitantly as he got to his feet, favoring his injured one.

The lizard in the front chuckled, his hand clasping the whip. "I'm afraid it's mandatory, boyo," he said with a fake sigh. He turned his head to the largest alien in the back, snapping his fingers. The hulking lizard uncrossed his arms and stepped forward, reaching for Jim.

Immediately the teen sprung to action, ducking down and rushing around his attacker's legs. They all shouted in surprise or anger, quickly giving chase. Jim wasn't able to make it very far, his foot screaming at him in agony, before one of the cackling twins caught up to him. With a guttural hiss, the alien tacked his legs and brought him to the ground. Jim let out a cry of pain and thrust out his arms to protect his head. He lay on the ground for a moment, stunned, while the criminal held onto him to keep him from getting away again. Jim felt something grab his collar and was suddenly lifted into the air, the sound of wheezing laughter filling his ears. He blinked at the huge lizard holding him in midair, gulping nervously as he snarled fiercely at him. 

The leader stepped forward, having to look up a little at the teen now. "Don't worry, fellas. With a few weeks training, he should make a good pickpocket," he laughed, spitting out the last word as if it were some pitiful joke. The cackling twins howled in laughter and poked at the boy. Jim grunted and kicked at them, but they merely laughed harder. Jim's foot was on fire with pain, his head was rushing with panic, his heart hammering in his chest, and his breathing was picking up significantly. Sweat beads began to form on his head and he gritted his teeth. For the first time in a while, he couldn't think of what to do, any witty comebacks or quick getaways. He was trapped. 

One of the smaller lizard aliens had stepped forward, clenching their claws into a fist and pulling it back for a punch. Jim swallowed and closed his eyes, preparing himself for the impact, but it never came. Instead, he heard a familiar noise behind him, something that sounded like a blaster powering up. The criminals all gasped slightly around the teenager, and the one holding him shuffled a little. When Jim realized the blow wasn't coming, he dared open his eyes. He saw that the others were all standing frozen, looking shocked, and a little afraid, while staring at something behind them. 

No, _someone_. 

Jim let out an involuntary sigh of relief when he saw Silver, the corners of his lips twitching upwards. The Ursid looked infuriated, his eyes narrowed and his stance tense. He held up his cyborg arm, the hand replaced with his blaster. His cyborg eyes was a dark red and his lips were thinned in a heavy frown. His eyes darted from each lizard to Jim, his gaze growing more upset when he saw him hanging in midair. Jim watched as he took a slow breath and turned his attention back to the alien with the whip. 

"What's goin' on, 'ere?" he asked slowly, his voice dripping with venom. 

Jim turned his head towards the leader, unable to stop the smirk that played at his features. The alien gulped nervously, but kept his voice even. "Just looking for boyos to hire," he answered, the tone suggesting he wanted the intruder to leave immediately.

Silver made a noise that sounded a like a mix between as scoff and a growl. "Fraid teh lad already's got a job," he informed them in a low voice, gesturing to Jim with a jerk of his head. "He won't be needed anodder." He tipped his blaster in the direction of the leader, the gears whirring as it powered up. 

"Ah, well, we-"

Silver growled and fired. The aliens all screamed and jumped back, but the one holding Jim didn't let go. The teen grunted as he was jostled about, losing sight of Silver in the confusion. Once things stilled again, he looked up quickly, finding that no one had actually been hit. It had been a warning shot. A place on the ground was smoking and torched black, making even Jim's gut twist a little. Silver gestured to the boy with his blaster, his fist clenched at his side. 

"Let the lad go," he snarled, his teeth gritted as he powered up his weapon again. 

The lizards all cast each other glances, their eyes angry but nervous. After a few moments, the leader nodded his head towards the bulky one. Jim's captor scowled, but he slowly set Jim down on his feet, growling at him a little. Jim winced as he hit the ground, lifting his injured foot a little. His head spun back and forth as he looked at the lizards hesitantly, fear and shock still wrenching at his gut. Was he free to go?

"C'mere, lad," Silver called, waving him forward with his flesh hand. 

Jim snapped out of it and quickly obeyed, limping forward hurriedly. He cast a glance back at the criminals, his eyes narrowed as he glared at them for a moment. When he reached Silver's side, the cook placed his hand on his shoulder and pushed the teen a little farther behind him. Jim was not bothered by this; he still felt shaky from nearly being kidnapped, or worse. He shuddered a little and took an uneven breath, wringing his hands together for a few moments before crossing his arms uncomfortably. Silver eyed the lizards for a few moments longer, before powering down his blaster and changing it to his cyborg hand again. It reached Jim's other shoulder as he gently pushed the boy forward, still glancing back at them darkly.

"Yeh alright, Jimbo?" Silver asked in a harsh whisper. 

The teen swallowed, feeling like his voice would shake if he answered right away. He did not want to seem like a terrified little kid, despite the fact that he indeed felt scared. "Y-Yeah," he said after a few moments, hating the stutter in his voice. He didn't look up at the Ursid, but he could feel his worried gaze on him.

"Yer foot's still hurtin' ya, innit, lad?" he asked softly, pausing for a moment. Jim was forced to stop as well, Silver's hands still holding his shoulders. 

He sighed, unable to deny it. He nodded, letting himself look back up to his mentor. "It's okay, though. Let's just.. get back to the shop."

Silver scoffed, gently pushing him again as he began to walk. "T'ey know what t'ey need to know," he said, steering Jim in the direction of the docks. "We'd best be gettin' back to the Legacy before t'ose idiots stir up any more trouble."

Jim heaved a sight of relief, unable to help himself. He found himself smiling thankfully, which Silver returned with a small smile of his own. He lifted his cyborg arm and ruffled Jim's hair a bit, chuckling a little. The teen found himself giggling a little as well, accepting it without any complaints. 

Then shots were fired.

People everywhere started screaming when they heard the first bang, scattering in all different directions. Jim's heart leapt into his throat, and for a moment, he was frozen. Then he felt someone pushing him to the side, and he jumped back into reality and started running. He glanced back for a moment to check and see if Silver was behind him. His was relieved to see the cyborg running right behind him, glancing back in the direction of the gunshots while holding his hat on his head with his organic hand. They heard another blast and Jim felt something zip near his hand, his stomach doing a flip. 

They were the ones getting shot at. 

Silver realized this as well, and quickly shoved Jim into a back alley, just as another shot sounded in the air. Jim's throat closed up as he choked on his fearful gasps, but another sound filled his ears not even a second after the gunshot. A anguished shout of pain rang in the teen's head and made his heart drop to his feet. 

He turned sharply, praying for a millisecond that his hearing was lying to him, only to see Silver hunched over in pain.


	5. Protective Pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This almost turned into three parts XD

Agony gripped Silver's side like a giant claw, sending a sensation of both burning fire and a sharp knife through him. An involuntary cry fled his chest as he skidded to a stop, his organic hand instinctively flying to the wound. His eyes squeezed closed and the world seemed to slow down for a moment as he doubled over in pain. The sounds around him seemed to grow muffled, instead replaced with a loud, consistent ringing in his ears. His cyborg side seemed to hurt, even though deep down, he knew it couldn't anymore. He gasped sharply and forced his eyes open. He realized that he was falling and quickly caught himself, regaining his footing while he leaned heavily on the alley wall next to him. The Ursid was still hunched over, his hand pressing against the new wound at his side. He could feel the blood seeping through his fingers and knew it wasn't good.

"-ver? Silver!"

As sound seemed to flow back in all at once, Silver heard Jim's panicked voice from beside him. He looked up quickly, a little surprised to see Jim right next to him, desperately gripping his organic shoulder and shaking it. The Ursid hadn't felt it at all until now, still in shock from the pain that his other senses were a bit dulled. He took one look into the teen's terrified blue eyes and immediately snapped back to reality. He turned his head sharply to look back out of the alley. He could hear that they were still firing now, probably not even aiming for anyone in particular anymore. 

"Silver!" Jim called again, turning the cyborg's attention back to the boy. "You're hurt!" he hissed, his expression a mixture of horror and fear. 

Silver didn't answer for a moment, turning his head to look down at his injury. He hissed through gritted teeth as he pulled his hand back to inspect it, already worried by the amount of blood stained on his palm and coat. It was on his side just above where his cyborg elbow would be. The blast luckily had mostly grazed him, not creating a proper hole inside him. However, it was bleeding heavily and it definitely was not a minor wound. He knew he would need medical attention, and soon, if he didn't want to bleed out. 

Jim sucked in a sharp breath from beside him. "That looks bad," he muttered worriedly, leaning down to get a closer look at it. Silver saw him bite his lip, and quickly placed his hand over the injury again, not wanting to upset the lad any further. 

"I've had worse, lad," he reassured him, his breath feeling heavy. He hissed again as he straightened himself, groaning a little as he squeezed the wound. He glanced around again, using his cyborg eye to scan the area for an escape route. "We'd best hurry," he told him seriously, hearing himself wheeze a little and hating it. "Those blaggards will find us soon if we stay 'ere." He stood up as straight as he could and motioned farther back in the alley, where a corner turned to lead to another street. 

The teen looked up at him, his face anxious and concerned, and for a moment, he was frozen again. Silver offered him a pained smile, trying to make him brighten up a little and nudged him with his elbow. He hated seeing him this upset, especially after Mr. Arrow's unfortunate demise. Jim blinked, sucking in another quick breath before nodding a little and turning quickly. However, as he semi-hurried forward, his hand never left the Ursid's arm. His fingers still gripped Silver's sleeve, gently pulling him along and refusing to let go. The pirate was a little bit surprised, though he knew that he shouldn't be, considering how close the two had gotten over the months.

Yet it was still so new to him.

The two of them hurried down the alleyway, Silver looking behind them every few seconds. Jim stopped just short of the street when they rounded the corner, looking back at the cyborg for a moment. He could see the worry in the boy's eyes, but he also looked much more determined than he had a moment ago. Silver looked out into the streets, seeing that the crowds had gathered back together, rather quickly. The shooting had stopped only a minute ago now, but they were already going about like this was an everyday thing. Something made Silver think that that was probably the case. 

"Do you think it's safe to go back out?" Jim asked in a hushed voice, his face serious. 

The cyborg thought for a moment, frowning. He realized it was hard to think straight now, the pain never dulling a moment and making his mind feel a bit foggy. He heaved a shaky sigh and tried to relax his shoulders a little, though the heavy breath suddenly gave him the urge to cough. He bottled it up quickly, casting a glance at Jim and hoping he was not making him more anxious. The teen hadn't seemed to notice, but his eyebrow raised a little when Silver didn't give him an answer. 

"It should be safe now, but we's better hurry," he told him, trying to keep his voice even.

Jim was hesitant, his face a little distressed. His other hand reached Silver's shoulder as he looked at him with serious and concerned eyes. "You think you can make it?" he asked after a silent pause. He wrapped his arms under the crook of the cook's organic upper arm and hoisted him up a little, carefully.

Silver hadn't even noticed that he was slumping heavily again, and let the boy help him up a bit, though a bit hesitantly. He sighed heavily, admitting to himself that he would most likely need help. "I'll have to, Jimbo," he said solemnly. When he saw Jim swallow fearfully, he gave him a small smile. "Don't worry, it shouldn't be t'at far from here."

Jim gave him a doubtful look, but didn't say anything else. He nodded and carefully stepped out, not letting go of Silver's arm and helping him along. Normally, Silver would feel at least a little embarrassed, and be worried that his crew would think less of him. However, at the moment, he neither cared much nor wanted to think of it, but deep down he was actually a little grateful. The crowd was just as troublesome as before, not caring to move out of the way at all and crowding the streets heavily. If Jim had left Silver to walk on his own, the Ursid most likely wouldn't have been able to make it. 

The cyborg let out a sharp groan of pain through gritted teeth when someone bumped into him, agony spreading like a wildfire through his side in a matter of seconds. Jim stumbled a little and fell with him a little, grunting to keep his balance. He secured his grip on Silver's arm and looked up sharply with an angry scowl, yelling out a complaint in the direction of the pedestrian that had bumped into him. The Ursid coughed a little, his fingers squeezing the wound harder. His breath was ragged and shallow now, and he knew he wasn't in good shape. He tried to stand back up on his own, but realized quickly he wasn't able to manage it with another small yelp of pain.

Jim returned his attention to Silver, bending over a little. "Silver?" he called in a panic. 

The cyborg swallowed and shuttered a heavy breath, opening his eyes and looking up at the teen. "Still wit' yeh, lad," he said breathlessly, unable to force himself to smile again. 

Jim bit his lip, but didn't deter any longer. He grunted as he pulled Silver up a bit, slinging the Ursid's large arm over his shoulder. "Lean on me. We still have a ways to go," he said tentatively, looking ahead as to determine just how much farther. 

Silver obliged, but even in his weakened state, tried not to put too much of his weight on the lad. He knew he was _much_ heavier than Jim, and didn't want to make the poor boy fall. He could still see the pain in the boy's own face, still took note of the foot he was favoring. The last thing they needed now was for both of them to be too exhausted to move on. He said nothing as Jim helped him along, trying to focus his blurring gaze on the path ahead of them. It was difficult to do, considering there were so many people walking in so many different directions. He squeezed his eyes closed for a moment and coughed again a little, swallowing afterwards. 

He wasn't sure how long they had been walking, everything becoming a blur, when he suddenly heard Jim's voice from beside him. "You're leaving a blood trail, Silver."

The cook quickly opened his eyes and turned his head sharply, scanning the ground behind them. He cursed to himself weakly under his breath when he saw the splatters of blood very clearly leading to the pair. He turned his head back ahead of them and did his best to pick up the pace, despite how much his body screamed at him. Jim seemed a little surprised, but did not protest or make a sound as he sped up, though his limp became a little more noticeable. In the back of his foggy mind, Silver felt terrible for hurting the lad more, but right now, he needed to focus on getting Jim out of there before they were put in any more danger. 

They walked for a little longer before they reached the docks. Silver was forcing himself to stay aware of his surroundings now, but now the rest of his body was starting to ache and his head was pounding. Jim paused just before their longboat, looking up at the smaller craft, brow furrowed as he frowned in thought.

“I’m gonna have to drive,” he told Silver. 

The Ursid nodded in reply, swallowing. Jim’s voice had sounded a bit muffled, making the Ursid reach up with his cyborg hand to rub his head. The teen watched him for a moment, unconsciously squeezing Silver’s wrist in worry, then looking back up at the longboat. Silver quickly realized he was thinking about how the cyborg was going to get on the boat, and sighed a bit. With a grunt, he gently pulled his arm off of Jim’s shoulders, turning his metal arm into a cane to steady himself. 

“You get up there first, Jimbo,” he said, pushing the boy forward while limping with him. “Yeh might have to pull this old cyborg up,” he added, trying to lighten the mood with a strained grin. 

Jim returned it half-heartedly, the smile not reaching his eyes, while he nodded. They stopped at the end of the dock, the teen going over to where the rope was tied and quickly undoing the knot. He rushed back over to the side of the boat, still noticeably limping. He tried standing on the tip of his toes to try and reach the edge with his hands to pull himself up, since they couldn’t get the longboat any lower at the moment. Silver heard him grunt and he dropped down to his feet again, hissing as he lifted his injured foot. Without hesitation, the cook grabbed Jim under his arms and hoisted him up, biting back a groan as pain shot through his body. The cabin boy was a bit alarmed by the sudden help, but said nothing as he scrambled up and climbed over the side of the craft. Silver couldn’t help the pained sigh of relief as the weight was pulled off of him, slouching again for a moment.

Jim quickly re-appeared, bending over the edge and extending his arms out to his friend. “Come on, let’s get you out of here,” he said as Silver reached up.

The pirate actually found the strength to chuckle. “Ain’t you teh one t’ey want, Jimbo?” he teased, his voice thick from exhaustion.

He grabbed Jim’s wrists, while the teen did the same to his, and felt himself begin to be pulled up. He heard Jim grunting as he heaved, and used almost every ounce of energy he had left to help pull himself over the edge. Apparently the lad had not been expecting the it, and because he had been pulling with nearly all his might, he lost his balance when Silver reached the edge. He yelped in surprise and pulled on the cyborg harshly as he lost his balance and toppled backwards. Silver was dragged along with him, crying out a bit when he hit the boat's floor. Silver held himself up with his cyborg elbow, a ringing in his ears as he tried to push the pain down. The teen was beside him on his back, and when Silver turned his hazy eyes to him, he could see the pain on his face as well. The cyborg's expression turned dismal, remembering that Jim's foot was still injured. He hoped that it wasn't broken.

The Ursid opened his mouth to ask if Jim was okay, but his voice died in his throat as another flare of pain shot through him. He turned his head again and grit his teeth, releasing a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. The cabin boy opened his eyes and looked over, his eyes immediately growing more distressed. He sat up quickly and got to his feet, bending over again and taking Silver's organic arm. Silver opened his eyes again and looked up at him again as Jim gently began to pull him up into a sitting position. 

"Rest here," Jim said softly, pushing him against the side of the boat. 

He watched the cook with worried blue eyes and Silver winced and groaned weakly. His head tilted towards Silver's wound. He reached down hesitantly, pulling the organic hand away so he could inspect it closer. Silver jumped a little and tried to cover it again, not wanting the boy to see. Jim merely gave him a hardened look, and he relented, pulling his hand away. The teenager looked over it for a moment, before biting his lip. He said nothing else, simply stood up and stepped over to the controls. He sat down and started up the longboat, the engine whirring loudly as the thrusters lighted. 

Silver leaned his head back and closed his eyes with a soft sigh, glad he finally had the chance to relax a little. His injury was throbbing heavily, and his mind felt like a heavy fog had set over it. He could feel the warmth of the blood seeping into his coat and through his fingers. The captain would probably not be happy to see him in this state. He tried not to think about how his own _crew_ would react to this. He'd have to explain this to them later, without portraying how much he had been worried for the lad, too. And little Morph.. he knew the little creature would be extremely worried about the both of them. 

Silver's thoughts were interrupted by a loud bang and a jolt in the longboat. His eyes shot open as he teetered off-balance, grunting a little as fire shot up his body. There was another loud bang, as well as several voices shouting below. Silver pushed himself up again, holding the edge of the boat to keep himself steady as the craft rocked. He looked up at Jim with confusion and concern, seeing that Jim was doing his best to steady the longboat again. He slowed down for a moment to look over the edge, his eyes widening for a moment before he narrowed them with a heavy scowl. Another loud bang sounded from below and something zipped past Jim's head, making Silver's heart jump to his throat. The lad's expression quickly became panicked as he picked up the speed, pushing the controls forward. 

"We have company," he said solemnly, flinching again when the sound hit the air once more.

Silver swallowed, feeling a thick bile in his throat, and pulled himself up to look below the longboat. His eyes widened when he saw a smaller craft below, inhabited by the same reptilian criminals from before. He cursed beneath his breath, looking to Jim. The boy was focused on getting them out of there, but several shots were getting much to close to him for comfort. They were obviously aiming for him, the leader shouting from below to take him out. The Ursid growled low, pushing himself away from the edge and slowly got to his feet, hissing through his teeth again. 

_The pain don't matter, Silver,_ he thought to himself. _Protect teh lad._

"What are you doing?!" Jim shouted, only his eyes darting between Silver and the direction he was going. 

The cyborg stood behind him, taking out his blaster and firing it up again. "You jus' focus on getting us out of here!" he shouted, a little more harshly than he had meant to. 

"Silver, you need to get down!!" Jim shouted back, although he didn't move from the controls. 

Silver ignored him, taking aim with his cyborg arm. He felt another blast zip past his arm and flinched a little, but quickly regained himself. In the rush of adrenaline, he could hardly feel the pain of his wound anymore. He clenched his teeth as he powered up and prepared to fire, aiming for the ship's engines. Another blast zipped past his ear, and he heard Jim give a startled yelp, and he fired. The cyborg's blast flew through the air for a few seconds before slamming into the target, effectively exploding the engines and thrusters. Their attackers all cried out in shock and terror, their firing stopping as they scrambled about. Silver didn't continue to watch them, knowing they wouldn't be able to keep chase now. He turned quickly to Jim, immediately seeing smoke and feeling a worried jitter in his chest. 

"Yeh alright, lad?!" he shouted quickly, stepping over. 

Jim glanced away from the sky for a moment, his blue eyes sliding over to him. He smiled a little in relief and assurance. "Yeah," he said, a little breathlessly. "It just hit the rim." He gestured with his head towards the smoking hole on the edge of the side of the boat. The blast had obviously just missed him and startled him, but he looked otherwise fine.

Silver let out a sigh of relief, returning the smile and gently nodding. He moved to sit by Jim, but that's when the pain struck him, stronger than before. He heard a agonizing shout before realizing it was him, now doubling over and pressing his hand to his side again. The world around him spun and made him dizzy, making him shut his eyes to try and block it out. It didn't seem to help, because he still felt like he was falling over. His cyborg hand reached out at grabbed the rim, holding him steady. The ringing in his ear was loud and consistent, and he couldn't hear anything else. 

He felt something shaking him, but it didn't help at all. Silver tried opening his eyes again but everything was a blur and spinning, and growing darker around the edges. His legs gave out from under him and he fell back into the boat, everything closing up around him. He briefly heard something that sounded like his name, muffled like background. 

Then he was swallowed up in pain and darkness. 

~

Waking up felt like a long process this time. Silver's consciousness slowly woke, but the rest of him took a bit longer. His body felt heavy and his head felt thick, though he could not quite understand why. His eyes felt like weights and it was a challenge to open them, his cyborg eye clicking on a few moments later than it normally did. He blinked at the light in the room, flinching a little. He turned his head away from it, groaning a little as he moved to lay on his side for a moment. Pain jarred from his side and he sucked in a sharp breath, instantly growing more awake as his eyes widened. He froze for a moment, squeezing the covers as he held that breath and waited for the fire to subside. He sighed a little after several seconds, slowly rolling back onto his back and laying there for a moment, closing his eyes again. 

He thought back to what had happened back on the planet, his mind still a little foggy. He remembered speaking to the owner of the store and a few members of a repair crew, telling them what time to meet at the docks to fix up the Legacy. Then he had heard a scuffle outside and left them, only to find that Jim was being harassed by a shady group of reptilian people. He recalled how furious and worried he had been, a familiar feeling of anger bubbling a little in his chest as he thought. When he had taken Jim back, they had begun attacking. 

_Oh._

Silver opened his eyes again, carefully pushing himself up into a sitting position. He grit his teeth as he did so, his injury flaring up. He did his best to push through it, noticing it wasn't nearly as bad as before. He reached over hesitantly, pulling up his shirt, only to be met with white bandages wrapped around his side. Wondering who had done this, he gently brushed the area where the wound was, feeling it tingle and twitched back in pain. He leaned back and let out another sigh, a little relieved.

He jumped a little when he heard someone entering, quickly turning his head to the door. Jim slowly walked in, looking a little tired and disheveled, while looking at the floor. He didn't look up to see Silver for a moment, until Morph, who had been sitting on his shoulder, chirped brightly and immediately zipped over to the Ursid. The teen looked up as Silver chuckled light-heartedly and reached up for the little blob to perch on his finger. His face immediately lit up and he rushed over, his eyes shining.

"Silver, you're up!" he exclaimed, stopping just at the side of Silver's bed. 

The cyborg looked up at him with a crooked smile, already feeling better. "Well, now, look who's excited?" he said. Morph cooed happily and rubbed up against Silver's face while he stroked him. 

Jim shook his head, though his smile didn't leave his face. "You had us worried there for a while, you know," he said after a few moments, plopping down on the side of bed next to Silver. 

He frowned a little at the lad, realizing that he had gone unconscious on the longboat, before they had even arrived at the Legacy. "What happened ta me?" he asked after a small hesitation, pulling Morph away from his face and placing him on his shoulder. 

Jim's face finally fell a little and he glanced away, staring down at his feet. "I.. didn't know what to do at first. I stopped the boat and tried to get you to wake up, but when I saw how much blood you were losing.." He trailed off, pausing for a moment. Silver's chest felt a little tight as he watched the cabin boy swallow a little uncomfortably. "I got you back to the ship as fast as I could. I couldn't tie up the boat myself.. I had to call for help."

Silver frowned at this, not liking when people saw him in a weakened state, especially his crew. "Who came down?" he asked after a moment, curiosity edging at his voice.

Jim looked up and smiled a little, though it seemed forced. "The captain. Hands and the Onus guy," he answered. "They helped move you and I.. they didn't let me follow after that." He wrung his hands together, looking away again and biting his lip. 

The cyborg could see that Jim was trying to hold back tough emotions and tried to change the subject. He looked down at Jim's foot, which he noticed wasn't in his usual boot, instead wrapped with a bandage. "How's yer foot, Jimbo?" he asked softly, gesturing to it with a jerk of his head. 

He lifted his foot and frowned at it, before shrugging. "Bruised bone, and it looks pretty purple, but it's nothing serious," he muttered, leaning back on his hands. "Just have to be careful with it, I guess. That's what Doppler said." He shook his head at himself. "Such a dumb reason to make him worry.."

Silver frowned, reaching for him and taking the boy's shoulder. " _I_ was worried, too, lad," he told him seriously. "I could tell it was hurtin!"

Jim finally looked up at him again, not saying anything for a moment. Then his expression turned hurt and upset, and tears suddenly sprung into the corners of his eyes. "That's nothing! You got _shot_ , Silver!" He sharply gestured to the Ursid's wounds with both of his hands, distressed. "You were bleeding out, you could have died! I couldn't do anything but sit there and wait! And it was.. it was.." He hiccupped a little and cut himself short, swiping his sleeve over his eyes quickly and turning his face away shamefully.

Silver could feel his heart sink, his chest aching as he watched Jim break down. He hated seeing the boy like this. He beat himself up over a lot of things, the teen still an injured child underneath. He thinned his lips for a moment and squeezed his shoulder in his hand, forcing him to turn to face him again. Jim had tears falling from his eyes now, and he didn't even try to hide it anymore. The cyborg's heart practically broke in two at the sight of it and he spoke quickly.

"Jim, it's not yer fault," he said sternly, but softly. "You couldn't help it at'all! Those blaggards were just angry, and probably worried we was going ta report 'em." His expression softened and he rubbed his shoulder a bit. "And I'd take any bullet for ye. You know t'at. You have to know that." Silver almost surprised himself with his words, but he didn't regret them one bit. Deep down, he knew this was true; he wouldn't let any harm fall onto the boy if he could help it. He couldn't hide that anymore, from Jim or himself.

The teen sniffed, biting his lip. "Please don't," he said, choking back a sob and wiping his eyes again. "Please don't hurt yourself more for me." 

Silver smiled ruefully, shaking his head. "No promises."

"I hope you never have to," he sighed, swallowing and looking down at his lap. "I don't want to see you like that again."

The cyborg stared at him for a moment, his chest feeling like it was being squeezed by a giant hand. He leaned forward, despite how his wound screamed in protest, and pulled Jim into his shoulder, hugging him tightly. "It's alright, lad. I'll be alright."

The teen sniffled and sighed into him, reaching up and squeezing back. He said nothing in reply, simply buried his face into his mentor's shoulder and letting his tears fall. Silver held onto him tightly, and there was nothing in that moment other than him and _his_ boy. He didn't care how it looked, he didn't care that he knew he shouldn't get this close, he didn't care that it hurt. The pain from his injury was practically gone at this point, nothing but a distant thought. All he wanted to do was make Jim feel okay again, to never let him go until he could give Silver that smile that he had come to cherish so much, to hear that little laugh that made him feel proud about his boy. 

"You'll be alright."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of angst with a little fluff at the end, eh?


	6. Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Going through a cold front in the Etherium can be miserable, or it can be fun and sweet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place roughly three and a half months into the voyage, just shortly before the Supernova.
> 
> (At this point I'm just assuming and making up several things about the Etherium aren't I? heh..)
> 
> I hope you enjoy this purely fluff chapter!!

The R.L.S. Legacy rocked heavily as the freezing winds nearly threw the sails and half the crew over the ship, the mask creaking uncomfortably and the sails making harsh slapping sounds. Several shouts could be heard from the ship, the loudest being the commanding voice of First Officer Arrow as he bellowed instructions from the stern. The crew bustled about relentlessly, working against the cold, powerful winds to pull the sails down and steady their course. Everyone was wearing much thicker garments now, even the ones that were more comfortable with dressing to the minimum. Their hurried footsteps and shouts could almost barely be heard of the heavy gale, but their figures could be seen scurrying about amidst the bone-chilling storm. 

Jim ran about the lower deck, securing the lower ropes that went all the way up the mast, while crewmates above him did the same on their level. His usual wear, a dark jacket over a sandish colored shirt, was nearly hidden by the heavy coat that his mother had packed for him before the voyage. It was almost a size too big for him and didn't quite fit him comfortably, and the winds made it flap about his upper body freely, providing him less warmth than he would have liked. However, that thought was at the back of his mind at the time, his sole focus being helping get the sails down. The winds were making it hard for everyone, not just the smaller cabin boy. The ropes kept flying loose from their hands, and it took time to scramble after them and grab them again. Jim had already lost quite a few of them, and his hands were burning from pulling to heavily on them. So far, he had secured two lines, though with much difficulty. He was now finishing another, tying it down and pulling the knot tight with all his might. He let out a breath as he released it and looked up, making sure it held. He nodded up at two crewmates who gave him the thumbs up before they moved onto the next one. 

"Jimbo!!" called Silver from the other side of the base of the mast. He was holding one rope down, his other hand in the air and waving him over. "Git these last ones o'er here, lad!"

"Yes, sir!" the boy called back, instantly running over to help. The turbulent gusts nearly sent him toppling over, his arms instinctively reaching up to protect his face from what felt like a thousand needles piercing his skin. He skidded to a stop and snatched a line, grunting heavily as he pulled it down, hopefully bringing the sail down with it. 

"Almost there, gentlemen!" he heard the captain yell over everyone, her voice surprisingly carrying well over the chaos. 

Jim paused for a moment, both hands gripping the rope tightly to keep it from flying away, and looked up and around, inspecting their status. Most of the sails were down now, the rest being put away quickly. A boost of confidence surged through him and he heaved down on the line as hard as he could, reaching up and doing it again. He could feel and hear the sail closing, and a relief went through his tired arms as a few other crew members from above on the mast. Jim looked over and saw Silver pulling on a rope to the same sail, his teeth gritted as he tugged it down and tied it. Jim grunted again as he did the same, trying to keep the rope from slipping as he tied it down. 

"Well done, everyone!" Amelia called from the stern, signifying that they were finished. The feline was wrapped in a fancier coat with a hood over her ears, ushering everyone to the door to their rooms. "Everyone, get below deck into the cabins!"

The teen stood quickly, blinking against the icy wind, and made his way towards the stairs. Someone grabbed his arm and stopped him, startling Jim as he looked back to check who it was. He relaxed a little when he saw it was Silver, the old cyborg protecting his own face as well. 

"Down to the galley wit' me, lad!" he said, raising his voice over the gusts. He didn't wait for Jim to make any sort of reply, quickly pulling him down the stairs. He released his hold on the boy's arm, but kept his hand on his back as he led him down. 

Jim was a little confused as to why Silver wanted him down here instead of in his cabin, but he didn't protest. He figured they probably had work to do of some kind, maybe make something hot for the crew to help them warm up. He wrapped his coat tighter around himself as they made it to the kitchen, rubbing his freezing nose while Silver went over to the stove. The cyborg turned it on quickly, then limped over to the furnace and turned it on as well. Morph, who had been waiting down in the galley for them, chirped and flippantly zipped over to his master's side, seemingly having a one-sided conversation with him as Silver went about. The cyborg flipped the oven on as well, waiting a moment for it to heat up before opening it and letting the hot air out. The cabin boy watched curiously, wringing his hands together as they starved for more warmth. Silver said nothing as he continued to turn every heated thing in the galley on. It began to warm up slowly, making Jim's shuddering shoulders relax a little bit. 

Silver finally finished, standing up straight and rubbing his cyborg shoulder with his hand a little, letting out a breath. Unlike most of the others, he wasn't wearing much more than he normally did, only an extra shirt or two underneath his usual black jacket and white shirt. He looked over at Jim, looking him up and down and frowning. "Ain't t'at a bit too big for ye?" he asked, his voice a little skeptical. 

Jim looked down it, noticing for the first time that it went down to lower thighs. Now that the wind wasn't tussling it about, it seemed much larger than before. He huddled it around his body a little tighter, shivering. "Yeah, but it was the only one my mom had. It doesn't get cold like this on Montressor," he explained, quickly missing the steady warm air of his homeworld. 

The cook's brow furrowed as he pursed his lips a little. "Yeh must be freezing, lad!" he observed, his voice pitching slightly with worry. He stepped over and rested his hands on the boy's arms, rubbing them up and down quickly to try and provide some heat. 

He was a little surprised by this action, the boy freezing up a bit and staring at him ponderously. He wasn't sure how to reply to that, his confusion sweeping over his normal choice to make a dry comment. He blinked up at Silver, his eyebrows raised and his mouth open slightly, still stuck on what to say. His nose tingled a bit in cold, making him reach up and itch it. He sniffed a little into his sleeve, closing his eyes as he rubbed his red nose. Silver paused and reached up, his organic hand taking Jim's hand for a moment. He almost immediately drew back like he had touched something sharp.

"Good lord, lad, yer freezing!" he exclaimed.

Jim opened his eyes and shrugged, sniffling a little again. "It's fine. I'll warm up." He flinched back when Morph flew over to his head, giving worried little chirps as he rubbed up against his nose in attempt to make it better.

"No need to take unnecessary risks," Silver told him sternly, taking his shoulders and pushing him towards a chair by the wall. "Sit 'ere while I getcha somethin'." He turned and headed into his room, leaving the door slightly ajar behind him.

He obeyed, plopping down into the seat and huddling there. He realized now that he was _out_ of the cold that he was indeed freezing, his entire body shivering terribly despite the rising temperature in the room. He rubbed his hands together and blew into them, giving him a mild satisfaction. He rubbed his nose again and sniffed, already feeling it grow more stuffy. He groaned in annoyance and brought his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them and resting his nose and chin behind his legs. It felt a little warmer, but he was still terribly cold. He wanted to curl up into a warm bed and stay there for hours. 

Silver returned shortly, a giant comforter folded over his arm. He quickly unfurled it and tossed it over the boy's shoulders. Morph chittered lightly and zipped under it as well, nuzzling under it atop of Jim's arm. Silver rubbed his hands along his arms quickly again for a moment, noticing how he was all curled up in the chair. "Any better?" he asked, looking genuinely concerned. 

Jim felt the corners of his mouth turn up a bit. "A little. Thanks," he replied softly, resting his chin on his knees and letting the blanket trap his body heat.

Silver smiled, a bit triumphantly, before turning and walking over to one of the cabinets. "Lemme make yeh somthin warm to drink." He pulled out a pot and a few bags, filling the pot with water and placing it on the already heated stove.

Jim simply nodded and watched, his bones feeling lazy already. He sighed a shuddering breath and forcibly shivered a bit harder for a few seconds to try and produce more heat. He felt Morph move around from under the covers, but he didn't reappear. The boy looked over at all the heated appliances Silver had turned on, a question forming in his mind. "Hey, Silver?" he said, his voice curious but casual.

"Mm?" was all the reply Jim got, the Ursid busy with what he was making.

"Why did you turn everything on?" he asked, glancing over to the lit furnace. "I mean, I know you're warming it up in here and all, but is this all really.. needed?" _He_ was grateful that everything heated had been turned on. It was helping raise his own body temperature, and his nose was no longer tingling as bad as before. But the way Silver had immediately rushed to do so when he had brought Jim down to the galley made the boy wonder if this was a normal occurrence, or if there was something Silver was afraid of.

Jim had Silver's attention now. The Ursid had turned his head to look at him now, his lips thinning. The cabin boy felt his heart sink as a familiar expression rested over Silver's facial features, something like longing and regret. He raised his cyborg arm and flexed it a little, rolling his shoulder and craning the elbow. He stared down at the gears for a moment, before turning his head away from Jim again. "Me gears don't do too well wit' teh cold," he explained solemnly, keeping his eyes on the boiling water. "Can't have 'em gettin' a bit of frostbite, could cause some serious damage." He reached up into a cupboard and pulled out two mugs. "I hafta keep the galley warm in cold fronts in teh Etherium, like t'is one."

Silence fell over the two of them, the only sound being the hum from the heaters and the bubbling of the boiling water. Jim bit his lip and pulled the comforter closer around himself, huddling in it. He felt bad for bringing it up, especially after seeing that Silver could be a little sensitive when talking about his cyborg side. He remembered the look Silver had given him on the longboat, his eyes shining with bitter sorrow as he stared at his flexing metal fingers. Jim had learned in that moment that Silver _was_ vulnerable, and he had hated it. He sighed softly and leaned back into the chair, glancing up at Silver again apologetically.

"Um.. hey, I'm.. sorry," he muttered, wringing his hands together uncomfortably. He wanted to add more to that, but he wasn't sure what else to really say. He clamped his mouth shut and sighed threw his nose sadly.

The cook looked over again, his expression no longer upset. He blinked at Jim, tilting his head a little, before his features warmed into a kind smile. "Eh, notin' to be sorry about, lad. "Was me own fault, it was." He shrugged his shoulders as if brushing it off, though his eyes twinkled a little with sadness. He said nothing else on the matter, though Jim was yearning to learn a bit more. He pulled the bags out of the water and dumped them in the garbage bin, opening another cupboard and pulling out a bottle of honey. 

"Erm.. so why'd you bring me down here?" Jim asked hesitantly, desperately trying to change the subject. The galley felt so awkward that Jim could barely take it.

Silver grinned as he squeezed some of the honey into the cups. "Well, I thought I could use a bit o' help making somet'ing warm for the crew when t'ey come down," he told him, setting the honey aside and pouring the drink out of the pot. "But t'at can wait, eh? Gotta warm yeh up first." He turned his cyborg hand into a utensil set and began stirring the drinks. He finished quickly and picked one up in each hand, turning and limping over to the boy. "Here, drink up." He held out a cup to Jim, the content steaming from the top.

He smiled up at him gratefully, reaching up carefully so the blanket didn't slide off of his shoulders. The heat coming from the mug almost made him draw back, but when he took it in both of his hands, it instantly sent warm sensations through his body. His muscles relaxed and he sighed a little in satisfaction, drawing the cup closer to him in an effort to have that heat reach his body. He let his legs relax and hang over the chair, blowing into the drink a little bit and sipping it. He realized that it was chamomile tea, something he hadn't had in years. It gave him a comforting feeling and made his insides feel warm. His mind quickly felt relaxed and he leaned farther back into the chair with a sigh.

Silver grinned, reaching over and pulling the covers up on Jim's shoulders. "Warmin' up, lad?"

Jim beamed brightly and nodded, the chills dissipating from his body. "Yeah," he nodded. He took another sip of the tea and let the warm tingle travel through him. "This is good, thanks." He felt Morph scoot out from under the blanket, his big eyes looking up at the boy as he chirped happily. 

"Good," Silver replied, a warm smile on his face as he turned for a moment. He grabbed another chair father down the galley and pulled it over, setting it down next to Jim's seat. He grunted and let out a sigh as he sat in it, turning to Jim again as he took a sip of his own drink. "You looked like yer was about to freeze to death."

Jim chuckled a little and looked down at his winter coat. "Guess I was a little unprepared."

Silver chuckled with him and nudged him with his elbow. "You'll just have to stay out've the cold fer now." He looked up, listening to the still gusting winds above. "Though the cap'n will probably avoid all cold fronts after t'is adventure." He took another swig of his cup and rubbed his cyborg hand over his arm for a moment, shuddering. 

Jim scooted a bit closer to Silver, seeking a bit more warmth. Morph squeaked and zipped away from Jim's shoulder, returning to his master's. "You aren't wearing a lot of extra layers, like the others," Jim observed again, frowning. "Aren't you cold?"

Silver shrugged with a grin. "My planet was always a bit cold. Could say I'm used ta it." He shivered again and sipped his drink a bit. "Has been a while since I twas last in a front like t'is, t'ough." He unconsciously flexed his cyborg shoulder again, eyeing it ruefully.

The teen glanced away for a moment, taking another drink as well, before leaning his head on Silver's organic shoulder. The Ursid said nothing for a moment, before moving his arm and slinging it over Jim's shoulders, smiling down at him warmly. Jim returned it with one of his own, grateful for the extra heat. The cold was nearly all gone from his body now, but he had no desire to move now. The two sat in calming silence, drinking their tea and relaxing as the galley grew warmer and warmer. Even after they had finished their drinks, neither of them got up, enjoying one another's company. Jim felt at home, loved and cared for like a young child. He closed his eyes and sighed happily, wishing this feeling would never end. Silver patted his arm occasionally, his own eyes closed as well, but the soft smile never leaving his face. 

For what seemed like a blissful eternity, it was just them, a family found.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to ohdamnitsaweasel from tumblr for giving me this idea prompt in our discord chat!!
> 
> (lol I can't write action scenes)


	7. Hurts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim really thought he was getting better. Yet, simple things make him feel like he's slipping back into a dark hole. 
> 
> Good thing Silver is there to pull him out of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This tale takes place shortly after my two-shot, Protective! Roughly late four months to early five months into the voyage.
> 
> I hope you like this one! :)

Rain pelted down on the ship like thousands of little pebbles, coming down so hard it was slightly painful to the touch. The sky above was dark with the heavy rainclouds, the atmosphere thick with a chilly, wet feeling. The rain made it seem like it was washing the R.L.S Legacy a darker shade, though it could hardly be noticed at a distance. The vessel was hovering in a marsh-like planet's atmosphere, several hundred yards above ground. The Etherium winds had taken a hard turn earlier that day and the captain had felt forced to find the closest planet to harbor until the wind storm passed over them. The planet had not been raining when they had arrived, but it had seemed mostly uninhabited, so they found no place to land. Instead, they remained in the skies, where a rainstorm had picked up and decided to torture them while they waited. The crew, already all tired and frustrated from the rough day, had retired to their quarters, grumbling and sluggish. 

Jim, however, had remained out on the deck. He leaned out on the edge of the crow's nest, having climbed up there perhaps an hour ago. While the others had all found shelter from the rain, the teenager had chosen to relish in it. While he had been slacking off a bit on his work earlier, he had no desire to escape his chores in a cabin room with the rowdy and annoyed crew. Plus, the way everything was going, he didn't feel like going inside. The cold rain running down his skin, soaking him to the bone and leaving his clothes heavy and water-logged, felt more like a strange blanket than an annoying inconvenience. The cabin boy watched the sky with half-lidded eyes, frequently blinking the water from his eyes. His insides felt heavy as well, his chest constricted and his heart sinking with every dark thought. His chin was resting in his palm, his face scrunched up a little bit as he swallowed every now and then. It took him a bit to realize that the warm wetness sliding down his cheeks wasn't from the rain. He felt no urge to wipe it away, sighing shakily and looking down. The empty deck from below stared back up at him, no person to offer him any feeling of comfort.

Not that they would anyway. 

Jim pushed himself back from the edge, leaning back on the mast. He raised his head so the rain fell directly on his face, closing his eyes and clenching his teeth. He tried to swallow the lump rising in his throat again, but he knew he was still crying a bit. He was so frustrated with himself, but also so tired of it that he had no energy to even tense up or clench his fists. All he could do was chastise himself in his head, the endless disapproving thoughts shooting in his mind on rapid-fire. He hiccupped a little and let out a sigh, lowering his head and pushing his hands into the pockets of his soaked jacket, pulling it closer to himself as a chill ran over his shoulders. 

Over the rain, he didn't hear the footsteps coming from below him on the deck, but he did hear a familiar voice shouting up at him.

"Jimbo! Come down from there, lad, before yeh catch yer death of cold!"

Jim's eyes opened quickly, his mind jumping from the dark cloud of thoughts for a moment. He pushed himself off of the mast with his foot and leaned over the edge to look down, even though he already knew who it was. Silver gestured for him to hurry with both of his hands, standing out in the rain with nothing but his normal clothes. He wasn't even wearing his black jacket, which he normally would in this weather for extra protection. Jim bit his lip, feeling horrible for making him come out in this weather, and quickly turned to get down. 

"Careful on the shrouds, lad!" Silver called, turning for a moment and stepping towards the way to the galley.

The teen didn't reply, but did slow down as he crawled down, the ropes slippery from the storm. He jumped down when he reached the bottom, hurriedly shoving his hands back in his pockets and slouching a little as he quickened his pace, reaching Silver's side in a moment. His throat clogged up again when the cyborg gently took his shoulders, without hesitation, and led him down the steps into the galley. Jim realized that he was a little relieved be out of the rain, the sensation of dry air a bit soothing. Silver's hands slid away from his shoulders and he went over to the corner where his jacket was hanging.

"What in the world were yeh doin' out t'ere, Jim?" he asked with a shake of his head, grabbing his jacket. He turned and limped back over to the lad, draping it over his shoulders.

Jim tensed up a little, a response to touch he had thought was going away. He flinched when he saw Silver giving him a worried glare, turning his head and looking at a random spot on the floor. "Dunno," was all he said in response, shrugging a bit as he pulled Silver's jacket closer around him.

Silver's brow furrowed in concern, a deep frown resting over his features. Morph, who had zipped up on his master's shoulder a moment ago, whined a little. The little blob looked at Jim worriedly, then back at his master. The cyborg shook his head again and gently placed his hands on Jim's arms, rubbing his jacket up and down to try and help him dry quicker. The teenager flinched again, his head down while his eyes cast a quick glance up at his mentor. Silver gently pulled him over to a seat, pushing him down and pulling the jacket over his head, ruffling it heavily to dry his hair.

"You're pretty wet, too, you know," Jim blurted, looking at Silver's soaked shirt. He pulled the jacket from the cyborg's hands and began drying himself, running it over his shoulders. He paused for a moment, glancing at the jacket with a bit of a sullen expression. "And don't we have towels?" he huffed, sounding more frustrated than he wanted to.

The Ursid paused, blinking at him for a moment, almost looking hurt. Then he frowned again, a little softer this time. He turned and limped towards a closet. Jim's brow furrowed as he watched Silver walk. His normal limp was more exaggerated because of the injury he had gotten a few weeks ago, and he was still recovering. The cook was in the kitchen less often than normal, and he wasn't always checking over Jim's work because he was resting. He was getting a lot better, but seeing Silver limp like that made Jim's chest hurt. He bit his lip and looked away as his mentor rummaged through the closet, pulling out a few towels and limping back over.

"I may be a wee bit wet, but I'm not soaked to teh bone like yerself," Silver scolded, pulling his jacket away. He gave a gentle smirk as he threw a towel over the boy's head.

Jim made a small, startled noise as it flew over his eyes, quickly reaching up and pulling it away from his face. He scowled a little bit at him, beginning to dry his arms. When Silver raised a brow at him, he looked away again. He felt as if his eyes were staring right into his soul, searching him inside and out. It was an awkward, yet oddly comforting, feeling.

The Ursid's frown returned as he dried his own head with a towel, running it over his organic arm as well. Silence fell over them for several minutes, the teenager awkwardly looking everywhere but the direction of Silver as he dried himself the best he could with the towels. His friend watched him with mindful eyes, concern growing over his features as time passed. Besides being soaked, the boy looked terrible. His eyes were red and he sniffed occasionally, his shoulders trembling from cold and his back slouched. He looked saddened and frustrated, and he could tell he had been upset for quite a while. Silver finished drying himself, deciding he would change into dry clothes later. He set the towel down and, grunting a little, crouched down to Jim's level, his elbows resting on his knees. The teen finally looked at him when he did so, looking distressed.

"Did somet'in happen, lad?" Silver asked softly, his head tilting to the side a little bit.

Jim blinked at him, at first unsure how to react or on what to say. After a few moments, as he took in his words and his sincerity, he felt his emotions slam into him like a freight train. He felt something like a sob rising in his chest and tensed, using almost all of his energy to repress it. He clenched his teeth and looked down at his lap, wringing his hands on the towel he was holding. For a moment, he hesitated, feeling conflicted. He didn't want to worry Silver, a feeling he was used to from back home. It surprised him a little, that he was worried about upsetting Silver like he worried about upsetting his mother. After swallowing and thinking it over, he ultimately realized he _couldn't_ keep it from him, knowing it would tear him up inside if he didn't. 

"Today, um.." he started, clearing his throat a little as his voice shook. "I was.. working, and.. and I guess I didn't do a job right. I dunno, maybe I slacked off.. but um.." He cleared his throat again, the memory burning fresh in his mind and making his body hurt. "The captain.. she wasn't happy with me. She got onto me about it and I.. I overreacted, I guess, got all on the defensive and.. we started yelling at each other." He stopped, swallowing again. It was getting harder and harder to hold the tears back, but at the time it felt shameful to cry. 

Silver's expression grew upset, pity and sympathy running over his features. He reached up and gently put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "What did she say?" he asked gently.

He looked up, gazing into Silver eyes for a moment. He felt like he was going to break in two, his chest hurting so much it was painful to breathe. "Just.. it's not.." He sighed, knowing he couldn't sugar coat it without it seeming like a huge lie. "That I'm.. a reckless and lazy punk. I don't.. I don't take responsibility.. and I don't think about th-the consequences of my actions." He stopped again, a depressed sigh leaving him before he could stop it. His shoulders sagged and he slouched a little, his eyes returning to his lap. "And.. she's probably right."

Silver blinked, his eyes widening a little. "And what makes yeh t'ink that?" he asked quickly, his voice raising a little. 

Jim flinched a little, his eyes glancing up at him for a second before turning away again. "I.. I keep messing up," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. Morph chittered sadly and slowly flew over to him, rubbing against his face and trying to offer him some comfort.

The cook's expression softened, his eyes a bit regretful for nearly snapping at him. He patted the boy's shoulder, catching his attention and making him return his gaze. "So yeh messed up a little.. everyone does, Jimbo. It's not as if ol' Silver 'asn't made a few mistakes, or the cap'n, or anybody here." He offered him a small smile.

Jim let out a shaky sigh. The words helped, yet he still felt like crap. He wanted to close his eyes and not wake up again for days, for the hard emotions to go away. "But I _keep_ messing up, Silver," he protested, though his voice hardly sounded motivated. He ran his hand through his wet hair, his eyes becoming anguished. "First it was Arrow, then you got hurt, and now-"

"Jim, how many times to I hafta tell you?" Silver interrupted, his voice stern but kind and gentle. "None of that was your fault! What happened to me, yeh couldn't help that!"

"I was the one who got you into the trouble! I couldn't _man up_ and take care of it myself!" Jim shouted, his voice suddenly growing very loud. Silver jumped, but he didn't really care about that at the moment. All the anger and frustration he had been saving for himself quickly came rushing out. It took form as an aggressive stance and the teen shot to his feet, making the Ursid stumble back a bit. His brow furrowed angrily and he was finally able to clench his fists. _"Every_ time I think I'm doing better, that I'm making progress, I mess up again! I'm nothing but a lazy, stupid screw up who can never get anything right! Every. Single. Time!"

Silence once again fell over the galley, a complete contrast the outburst from moments before. Jim was now breathing heavily, and after screaming all his frustrations, he suddenly felt a lot calmer, and exhausted. He slumped with a sigh, but didn't sit back down, instead sagging his head and hugging himself tightly, looking at a wall again. Shivers took him again, his cold and wet clothes feeling heavier than a second ago. He was quickly regretting shouting like that, praying that he hadn't made Silver angry with him, or hurt by his outburst. When he saw him stand up out of the corner of his eye, he took a small step back, wishing he could disappear into his jacket forever. 

However, the cyborg didn't say a word, didn't give him an angry glare. Instead, within a second of rising to his full height, he grabbed Jim with his heavy-set arms and pulled him into a tight hug, squeezing the boy tightly. Jim tensed up, sucking in a sharp breath threw his nose while his eyes widened in surprise. From his shoulder, the little pink blog chirped, a bit more cheerfully, and rubbed up against his neck comfortingly. No words were said for a few minutes, Silver holding the boy close while Jim slowly grew more relaxed in his grasp. 

"Yer a good lad, Jim," Silver told him softly, rubbing his back for a moment with his cyborg hand. "You would _never_ do t'ose things on purpose, I know t'at. Yer just havin' a bit of trouble findin' yer way." He pulled back a little so he could see his face, still holding Jim's shoulders. He smiled down at him, something like pride twinkling in his eye. "But everything t'at's happening is going ta lead to something great fer you, Jim. I can see it."

Something welled up in Jim's chest, tears finally forming in his eyes as he looked up at Silver's smiling face. He trembled slightly, but it felt like a huge weight had suddenly been lifted from his shoulders. His hands unclenched and his shoulders relaxed, and he felt like the small boy who just wanted someone who cared. His heart felt warm, and while he still felt bad and was frustrated with himself, somehow things had almost instantly gotten better. His lips curled up in a shaky smile up at him, his eyes lighting up a little. He limply leaned into the hug again, a small sense of deja vu drifting over him. 

Silver's smile grew bigger and he hugged the boy fondly again. "Aww, there ya are," he chuckled gently, his voice light-hearted and kind. He rubbed his back a little, sending a sensation of comfort through Jim. "You'll be alright."

Jim slowly reached up, hugging the Ursid back gently. He leaned his face on his shoulder, letting out a relieved sigh as his body relaxed a little more. Morph purred on his own shoulder, still rubbing against his neck and the side of his head. Jim felt warm and loved, and it felt good. The rain pelting above them on deck was now somehow a soothing sound, making his mind hum calmly. His anger and sadness was slowly leaking away, bit by bit the longer Silver held him close. The inner child in him felt like he had a father, and the teenage self knew he had a mentor. 

The cyborg hugged him tightly for several minutes, before finally letting go and pulling back, a warm smile still spread over his face. "Now, what's say we change into sum dry clothes, eh?" he snickered, glancing down at Jim's jacket, which was still dripping with rain water. He turned to walk towards his room, but kept his cyborg arm slung over Jim's shoulder. "Don't need yeh getting any wetter goin' out t'ere to your cabin, so let's see what we can scrounge up." He let out a light-hearted chuckle, raising a brow down at the boy and his small physic. 

Jim beamed lightly, nudging him with his elbow a bit playfully. "Sure."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one feels a little shorter, but that's okay!! (There will be a kinda second part to this so stay tuned!)
> 
> Special thanks again to @ohdamnitsaweasel (from tumblr) for the prompt ideas that made this chapter!


	8. Shivering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim's not feeling well, which means Silver is probably going to fuss over him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one picks up only a day after the previous one-shot. Enjoy!

Silver set the last batch of breakfast rolls and buns into the oven, closing the door and standing up straight. He slid the oven mit off of his organic hand, setting it on the counter and rubbing his flour dusted palm on his apron. He sighed in satisfaction and limped over to the counter where several fruits where scattered, grabbing a cutting board so not to stain the surface. He lifted his cyborg arm, his metallic fingers and palm disappearing, a knife quickly taking its place. Silver grabbed the first two fruits in the pile and set them on the cutting board, beginning to slice them into smaller, even pieces. The only sound in the galley was the knife hitting the board when it sliced through, and the sharp, sliding sound it made when he swept the cut pieces aside.

The silence in the galley was beginning to both worry and frustrate Silver. The Ursid paused what he was doing and turned his head a little to glance up at the galley door. He frowned at them empty doorway above him, sighing a bit as he shook his head. Jim should have been coming down those steps at least half an hour ago. The lad usually was good about being on time, especially the last couple months. His slacker days were almost an alternate reality now, so having Jim be this late honestly made Silver a little concerned. He turned back to his work with a small huff. Yet not a moment later he paused again, glancing once more at the stairs. 

"Morph," he finally said, turning his head to his little pet. 

The pink blob had morphed into a little knife, and was cutting a small piece of fruit in efforts to help his master. When his name was called, he quickly spun about into his natural form, his big eyes looking up at the cook curiously. He chirped chipperly and zipped up, resting on the finger that Silver held out for him. Silver smiled a little at the playful creature and held him up higher.

"Go check on Jimbo, alright?" he told him, jerking his finger a little bit so Morph would hop off. "He's a bit late."

Morph made a cheerful chirp and saluted playfully before darting away, out of the galley in a matter of seconds. Silver couldn't help but chuckle at his tiny friend's enthusiasm. He turned back to the fruits he had been cutting, finishing them up and putting them into a large bowl, so that the crew could dish out their own portions. He rubbed his hand on his apron again, cleaning the sticky juice from his fingers and looking around. The kitchen was fairly clean and empty, and Silver didn't have anything else to make now. He supposed he could set up the tables while he waited for the buns to finish cooking, though that was normally Jim's job in the mornings.

He shrugged, though his worry was nagging at the back of his mind, and turned to the cupboards. He opened them up and began pulling out the plates and bowls, counting them as he stacked them up on the counter below. He had almost gotten enough for the entire crew out when Morph popped in again, flying faster than before. He zoomed up to his master's face, startling Silver a little. The Ursid's chest tightened a little as the pink blob chirped quickly with concern in his high pitched voice, flailing his little arms about.

"What tis it, Morph?" Silver asked quickly, trying to make sense of what his pet was trying to tell him. "Where's Jim?"

Morph shrilled one more loud chirp before transforming into a smaller version of the cabin boy. He laid sideyways in midair, curled up into a little ball and shivering heavily. Morph's copy of Jim let out a few harsh coughs, rattling his body. He sat up in the air and rubbed his head, and even though Morph's transformed version of Jim was small, Silver could see his baggy and bloodshot eyes. The Ursid felt his throat clog up a little bit as Morph changed back into his normal self, whimpering sadly. 

He cursed under his breath and closed the cupboards, turning and walking out of the galley, his pace quick. Silver had hoped that he had gotten Jim out of the rain in time last night, and got him into warm clothes so he _wouldn't_ get sick. Apparently he hadn't, which frustrated him. He had made it halfway across the deck when he saw Jim come through the doorway leading to the sleeping quarters. He was slouched and rubbing his nose softly, his hair in a fray and his skin looking much paler than normal. Silver picked up this pace again and reached Jim's side quickly, grabbing his shoulders before he could go any farther.

"Lad, you look terrible," he said with high concern, his brow furrowed. He didn't let the cabin boy reply, lifting his organic hand and feeling Jim's forehead with a heavy frown. It felt hot and clammy, only confirming Silver's worries. "And no wonder! Yer runnin a fever." He forcefully turned Jim around and gently shoved him back towards the cabin. "Get back to bed, Jimbo."

Jim stumbled a little bit when Silver pushed him, stopping himself from going into the room. He turned with half-lidded eyes and a defiant frown. "No, it's okay," he said, sniffing again. He coughed a little into his arm, turning around and walking towards the cook. "I gotta help you with breakfast, at least."

"No, you need rest," Silver said quickly, his voice raised and stern. Jim looked up at him with a bit of surprise, but Silver didn't let it get to him. He placed his cyborg hand on his shoulder, a little gentler this time, and turned him around again. "Yeh don't need ta be makin' yerself worse."

Jim groaned, but made no other form of protest as Silver walked back into the cabin with him. The crew were all still asleep, several of them snoring loudly. Silver noticed Jim tense up a little bit when they passed some of the hammocks, even though they remained asleep. He realized that the teen hated being seen in this condition, and didn’t want any of the crew to find him that way. Silver sighed a little bit and shook his head softly. Jim often worried about small things too much. In this case, Jim’s health was more important than this rowdy bunch’s view of him.

When they reached Jim’s hammock, Silver pulled the covers back and gestured to the lad. “In yeh go,” he said as he watched Jim weakly crawl into it. 

Concern gripped him as Jim curled up into a ball again, shivering. His eyes were already dropping more than before out of pure exhaustion. Silver sighed a little, pulling the covers over his shoulders, patting his back a few times. Jim moaned a little and sniffed, blinking distractedly. The cook noticed dark circles under his eyes, and his brow furrowed a little in concern.

“Didn’t sleep well last night, didja, lad?” he asked softly, his voice hushed so not to wake any of the crew mates.

Jim shook his head tiredly, finally closing his eyes. “No,” he replied weakly, an exhausted sigh leaving him. He reached up and pulled the blankets farther up his body, covering his neck and chin. 

Silver sighed a little and patted him again, straightening to his full height. “Well, hopefully you’ll rest better now,” he said, putting his hands in his pockets, feeling a little awkward. 

Morph slowly floated over Jim’s head, gently cuddling his cheek while chittering softly. Jim shivered a little bit at response to the touch, but the corners of his lips turned up a little to let Morph now he appreciated it. Then his eyes shot open and his head shot upwards, a look of panic stricken over his sickly face.

“The captain,” he said quickly, with urgency in his voice, rushing to pull the covers back. “I have to-“

“Now, now, Jimbo,” Silver interrupted quickly, stopping him by putting a hand on his back and gently pushing him back down into the hammock. “You do as I told yeh. I’ll inform the cap’n of yer condition. I’m sure she wouldn’t want you ta be up and about right now, either,” he explained, throwing the covers over him again, covering Jim’s entire body and hiding his face in an almost funny way.

There was a moment of silence, before Silver heard a sigh come from underneath the blankets. “Okay,” Jim muttered as he pulled his head free, lying back down into a more comfortable position. His teeth chattered for a moment as he shivered heavily, weakly coughing to try and clear up some of his congestion.

“I’ll be back with some more coverings to warm yeh up, alright?” Silver told him, a gentle kindness in his voice. He could feel his demeanor drop into softness, but didn’t care to catch himself at this point. Jim only nodded in reply, leaving the cyborg to turn and quietly limp out of the sleeping quarters, Morph trailing behind him.

Silver walked out onto the deck again, glancing around as if expecting to have someone catch him sneaking about. He technically wasn't, but it _was_ rare for him to be in the sleeping cabins, since he had a room of his own near the kitchen. He was glad the crew were all still asleep, and would be for another half hour or so. He made his way across the boat and walked back down into the galley, noticing the small of the rolls when he entered. He checked the time on the oven to see how far along they were, a little relieved to see he had plenty of time to get Jim the covers and speak to the captain. Morph chirped and zoomed ahead, going to the door where several blankets, towels, and Silver's clothes were kept. He spun about before morphing into a hand and opening the door for Silver.

"Thank ye, Morphie," Silver said gratefully, giving his little friend a smile before reaching in and grabbing a few thick sets of covers. He studied them for a moment, deciding that they should be enough to keep Jim warm, before closing the door with his foot and turning quickly. The pink blob followed behind diligently, glancing a little forlornly at the blankets, then back at Silver. The cyborg could tell that Morph was worried about Jim, and he felt the same way, if he was being honest with himself. The lad had looked terrible, and he had seen Jim at his worst before.

When Silver entered the quarters again, he let out a sigh of relief to see that the rest of his crew were still asleep. He suddenly felt a little exposed and nervous being in there, where any one of them could wake up and catch him. He hated having to explain things to them, especially about Jim. He could see their rising suspicion in their eyes every time he took care of the cabin boy, laughed with him, or just had a conversation with him while they were around. He started to feel a little frustrated as he maneuvered quietly around their hammocks; they weren't in charge of him, he was in charge of them! He was the captain, he could do as he pleased, and it was not up to them to decide how he should treat Jim. He huffed a little, his eye catching where Scroop slept, high up near the beams. That bug was the worst of them.

Morph chittered quietly when they stopped at Jim's hammock, quietly flying over to the teenager and floating above his head. Silver leaned in a little, too, hardly able to see him under the covers he had wrapped so firmly around himself. His expression turned to one of soft pity when he saw the boy's distraught face. He had fallen asleep, but his brow was furrowed and his shoulders were tense as he shivered. The cook sighed a little as he unfurled the blankets and gently laid them over Jim, watching to make sure he didn't wake him. The teenager only stirred a little, and after a moment seemed to relax a small bit. Silver felt his lips turn up at the corners as he gently rubbed Jim's shoulder, reaching down to check his forehead again. Morph whined a little and settled down beside Jim's face, snuggling up close to his hand.

"Why don't ye stay here for a bit and keep an eye on 'im, Morph?" Silver said softly, glancing up and out at the door. "The captain ought ta be up by now, and I better inform her of Jim's current state." He looked back at his little pet and, smiling, tickled the top of his head. "Can ye do that for me?"

Morph chirped silently, so not to wake Jim, and smiled, nodding his head. He turned and watched Jim intently, taking his 'intructions' rather seriously. Silver chuckled a little bit before turning and quietly making his exit, going back down to the galley again. Jim normally brought Captain Amelia her coffee by now, but since he was down for the count, that job fell to Silver now. He went over to the freshly brewed pot, pulling a mug out of the cupboard, and pouring the contents in it, mixing it the way he knew she always requested it. He paused for a moment set down the spoon he was using to stir it, quickly grabbing his jacket and hat. He preferred to appear in front of the ship's leader looking sharp instead of his 'sloppy' work clothes. He carefully took the cup of coffee again and walked up the steps, crossing the ship to the captain's quarters.

He rapped a few times at the door, leaning forward to listen. "Cap'n?" he called respectfully.

There was a silent pause, and Silver figured the captain was a little taken aback that it was his voice she had heard, instead of the cabin boy's. "Come in," came her voice after a moment, and he heard her sit down in the chair at her desk. 

He grabbed the door handle with his cyborg hand and turned it, pushing the door open slowly. He stepped into the large room, quickly taking in his surroundings, since he had only been in there a few times before. He only looked about for a moment, however, not wanting to seem like he was staring. He gave the captain a large grin as he walked over to her desk where she was seated, poised and eyeing him with her chin raised slightly in authority. Her eyes studied him carefully, as they always did when she looked at him or the members of his crew. Her reluctance to trust them made him a bit nervous, but she they had come this far without her learning anything, so he tried not to let himself worry about it.

"A good day to yeh, Cap’n,” Silver said cheerfully as he set the cup of coffee on the desk for her. He dipped his head and tipped his hat slightly in morning greeting.

“Mr. Silver,” was her curt response, hardly a greeting, but he figured it was all he would get. She eyed the cup of coffee, as if suspicious of it, and then a strange look briefly crossed her face. “Is there a reason Mr. Hawkins is not brining me my cup this morning?” she asked, raising a brow to the cook.

Silver kept his smile up, though he hardly felt like it. Still, he felt under pressure around her, despite being a captain himself, and wanted to remain on her good side, if she thought of him in that way. “Ah, well, you see, the lad’s come down with a bit of a fever.”

“He isn’t well?” she said a bit quizzically, her ears perking up slightly. That look crossed her face again, and Silver could have sworn it looked like regret.

“No, m’am,” he replied with a nod, allowing his smile to disappear as he remembered Jim’s strained sleeping face. “Fraid he got wet last night, must have made him quite cold durin the night.” He folded his arms behind his back and studied her, a tad suspiciously. “He was quite upset and thought the rain would help, of all t’ings,” he said, secretly prodding her while shrugging his shoulders as if jestfully.

At his words, the captain noticeably winced. “I may have been a bit too hard on him yesterday,” she admitted, her ears flattening a little as her gaze lowered for a brief moment. She gathered herself quickly and looked back up, taking the cup in her hand. “Thank you for the coffee, Mr. Silver. Take care for the boy until he feels well again, if you would please.”

"Aye, that was the plan, Cap'n," Silver replied, tipping his hat again as he turned and began to exit.

"And Silver," Amelia said quickly, getting to her feet a little faster than normal.

Silver stopped in his tracks, turning his head to look back at her, eyeing her curiously. 

The captian cleared her throat, straightening herself and regaining her posture. "If you would give Mr. Hawkins my apologies for yesterday's account," she said, glancing down for a moment as another look of regret flashed over her face.

Silver blinked, taken a bit by surprise. He hadn't expected the captian to have any desire to apologize, though he did appreciate it. Then, suddenly, anger began to bubble in his chest, and he almost felt insulted. He knew she had no intention for audacity, but it still infuriated him anyway. He shoved his hands into his pockets and narrowed his eyes at her slightly, gritting his teeth for a moment. He let out a silent breath to try and collect himself before speaking.

"With all due respect, Cap'n," he said bitterly, turning and walking out, "tell 'im yerself."

~

Silver quietly walked into the silent sleeping quarters, letting his organic eye adjust to the dark for a moment. The rest of the crew, even the captain and the doctor, were down in the galley, eating dinner. Night had fallen over the ship, and after Silver cleaned up after his messy crewmates, he would be heading out to his watch. First, he wanted to check on Jim again, even if it was for the upteenth time. He had brought Jim lots of water over the many times he had checked up on him worriedly, but not so much food. Jim had weakly complained that he wasn't hungry. The cook didn't know if that meant his stomach was upset, but he didn't want to test that theory and only made him eat enough so he didn't get worse.

When Silver walked by Jim's hammock, he was a little surprised to see Jim raise his head. Nearly every time he had come back there, the teenager had been asleep, and Silver had guilty had to wake him up. Relief flooded into this chest a little bit as he lit one of the lamps close by to give them better light. If Jim was up, perhaps he was feeling a little better. He walked back over to the hammock, pulling a chair over and sitting down next to it. Morph was curled up by Jim's side, slumbering peacefully. Jim smiled at Silver weakly, his eyes half open sleepily.

"Hey there, Jimbo," Silver said softly, smiling gently as he handed him some more water. "Feelin' any better?"

Jim didn't reply at first, instead taking the cup and drinking it slowly. He let out a breath when he finished, licking his wet lips before looking back to Silver, smiling a little bit. "Yeah, actually. I'm really tired, and my head and throat are still a bit sore. But I'm not that cold anymore, and my body doesn't hurt." He yawned a little and handed the cup back to the cyborg.

Silver took it gently and set it down on the floor next to the chair. "Well, that's good!" he said chipperly, gently pressing his hands to Jim's forehead. To his relief, it felt a lot cooler than it had before, and it wasn't as clammy anymore either. "Seems like yer fever broke." He pulled his hand back and grinned broader.

Jim smiled a little wider, his eyes brightening. "Do you think I'd be able to get up and work tomorrow?" he asked, his voice still a little hoarse.

The cyborg chuckled a little, patting his shoulder. "Let's not rush anyt'ing, now," he replied amiably, shaking his head. "Take another day of rest tomorrow, alright? You'll need it."

The younger one frowned at this, but shrugged a little and nodded. "Alright." He looked up and glanced around, as if he were looking at the room for the first time that day. "Where are the others?" he asked. Something crossed over his face, making Silver a bit curious.

"All down in the galley, eatin'," Silver answered, tilting his head a little at the boy's expression. "Are you up fer eating anything?"

"No," Jim said absent-mindedly, looking out the door. He frowned for a moment, then his expression softened and he glanced over at Jim. "Something weird happened today."

Silver blinked blankly, a little confused and surprised. The whole day had been an experience for Jim, for sure, so he had no idea what he meant by that. "Is that so?" he asked quizzically, raising an eyebrow.

Jim nodded, a look of bewilderment and surprise spreading over his features as well. "Yeah. The captain actually visited me about an hour ago."

At this, Silver completely blanched. He stared at the teenager in shock, his mouth hanging open a little bit. He had a feeling he knew where this was going, and he could hardly believe it. He hadn't thought highly enough of the captain to actually come down and apologize to Jim, even after he had straight up told her to. He would have thought her pride or commanding and curt nature would have held her back.

"She actually apologized to me for yelling at me yesterday," Jim said, his voice also hinting at disbelief. "Which is great, I mean, I'm grateful, but... I definitely wasn't expecting it."

Silver cleared his throat, regaining himself quickly. "I wouldn't have either," he replied, turning his head a little bit to hide his smile.

Jim's eyes glazed over as a small smile touched his lips. "It was nice," he said softly. Then he yawned, reaching up and rubbing his eyes.

The cyborg turned to look at him again, smiling warmly as Jim laid his head back down in the hammock. "Well, I oughta let you sleep now, hmm?" he said softly, pushing himself to his feet. He reached over and patted Jim's shoulder gently as the teenager's eyes shuttered closed. "Get some shuteye, Jimbo." 

Silver turned to leave quietly, but something tugged at his sleeve. He paused and turned around partially, looking down in confusion. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw Jim's fingers curled around the end of his sleeve. His eyes were still closed, but a small, sleepy smile had lightly spread over his face. It made Silver's heart soften and he chuckled a little bit.

"Thanks, Dad," Jim muttered in a small whisper, almost to quiet to hear.

Silver froze, gaping silently at the teenager in shock. For several seconds, he had no idea how to react, too stunned to move or speak. He realized shortly that Jim had fallen asleep, his hand letting go of Silver's sleeve and falling back into the hammock. He sighed softly in his slumber and shuffled a little, but the Ursid could tell he was not awake. He stared at him for a little while longer, a mixture of emotions battling within him. His expression finally melted a little sadly, because he knew what was coming. He swallowed and tried to push the thought aside, watching Jim sleep soundly. His gentle and relaxed expression made Silver sigh a little, and for a moment, he was just grateful he had this time with him. Hesitantly, he placed his hand on Jim's shoulder, rubbing his thumb up and down for a moment. Another soft smile slowly spread over Jim's lips as he slumbered, and Silver couldn't stop his own from forming.

"Yer welcome, lad," he whispered back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THAT TOOK SO LONG TO WRITE GEEZ
> 
> Sorry if it seems choppy or sloppy, my computer kept deleting a lot of my progress and I would have to start a scene over. I hope it's still enjoyable!


End file.
